


Zoomorphia (Zootopia Tokusatsu AU)

by Randomwoohoo



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Tokusatsu, Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, F/M, M/M, Multi, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-03-03 22:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 72,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13350897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Randomwoohoo/pseuds/Randomwoohoo
Summary: 3 years after Nick and Judy started working together as police partners, Zootopia was encountering a threat, the monsters called Savages. ZPD (Zootopia Police Department) and DIB (Defense Intelligence Bureau) co-founded SCU (Savage Control Unit), the special task force with sole purpose to exterminate Savages. Nick and Judy were senior police officers but they tended to tackle the monsters a lot by becoming one, an armored hero mixed between fox and rabbit, Hybrid. The new cases, chaos and henshin heroes arrived!





	1. Again

   A fleeing sports car came to a screeching halt. Officer Judy Hopps and Officer Nick Wilde exited their patrol cruiser then approached a street racer. “Sir, you were going 115 miles per hour. I hope you have a good explanation.” Judy informed.

    However, when the driver’s window moved down, the lawbreaker was revealed to be… “Flash? Flash? Hundred yard dash!?” Nick took off his shades to get a good look at the driver. It was Flash the sloth.

“. . . N i c k” Flash called out the brand new cop’s name at a seriously slow pace.

    That was the first assignment of Nick and Judy as partners. It felt like yesterday although it had already been three year since back then. In the morning at the Zootopia Police Department headquarters, there were some minor changes here and there, new faces, transferred employees, some… had gone...

“All right. Everybody! Sit! Today, I have an important announcement.” A mammal standing at the podium was no one other than Chief Bogo, a male Cape buffalo and the chief of the Zootopia Police Department or ZPD for short.

“Sir, aren’t you tired from being a chief for many years? Consider settling down?” The fox senior police officer teased his supervisor.

“It’s too early to get rid of me, Wilde.” Chief quipped as a response to the first and still the only one fox cop in the department, Nick Wilde, which got a laugh out of others in the bullpen. This playful behaviour had become a routine at work. It lightened up the mood and helped reinforcing a positive impression towards the fox.

    Bogo put on glasses to read the report in his hoof. “Ahem. Y’all might have already known. Just to remind you, the missing mammal cases that occurred these recent years in the Canals, the Meadowlands, the Nocturnal District, Outback Island, Sherwood and Bunnyburrow-” He paused to glance at one officer after he mentioned her hometown. Senior Officer Judy Hopps, who shared a front roll seat with her partner Nick, was listening attentively. Moreover, she seemed tense. It was understandable for Bogo. He breathed in and resumed. “Just now, there is progress in those cases. Police from other precincts found clues that lead to Zootopia. A few of you are needed to work on them. Treat ’em as your priority. Assignments!” The buffalo was about to give assignments but he felt the urge to emphasize current situation. “Oh by the way, if anybody encounters **Savage** , escort citizens in the area, contact **SCU** and stay away from **Savage**. Understand?”

“Yes’sir” Every police in the bullpen burst out in reply, not exactly every single one.

    Bogo inspected Judy being quiet. She averted her eyes when they met with Bogo’s. He knew immediately what was on her mind. “Officer Hopps. Parking duty.”

    The bunny cop went all alert. “What!? Chief-” She wanted to argue. However, Bogo interrupted. “Now… do you understand?” He repeated intimidatingly.

.--. .- .-. - -. . .-. ...

“This is ridiculous! Can’t believe after all these years, I got assigned a parking duty again!” Judy grunted. At Downtown street, she and her partner, Nick Wilde, were standing next to a patrol car that Chief let them drive instead of meter maid cart because of current city situation… It would be dangerous, not fast enough to escape...

“Chill, Fluff. Besides, if either of us is supposed to complain. I should be the one since I tag along with you.” Wearing sunglasses, Nick swirled a cup of coffee in his paw.

“You don’t have to say that. I’ve felt bad already.” Judy sighed, feeling blameworthy that she was a reason the fox was punished as well… He would not let her go through hard time alone. That sort of made her happy, yet also built up a guilt.

“Hey, we are duo through thick ’n thin no matter what, Carrots. And where is your positivity? Couple of years ago, you still found a way to challenge ourselves doing this kind of tasks. Aren’t ya gonna write hundreds of tickets or something?” This was not the first time they were assigned a parking duty together but as Nick stated, Judy used to bring out a spirit to any assignments.

“I will if it’s possible! Look! There are scarcely few cars on street!” The bunny pointed out their surroundings. Road was clear, not many cars running or parking, which was probably what they expected when Bogo intended to keep them far from the **battleground**. Therefore, he gave them this disciplinary penalty for acting stubborn.

“Consider this taking things slow then.” The tod sip his coffee. “Snarlbucks blueberry coffee is delish.”

    Judy put on a half-smile. She loved her partner’s blueberry obsession but the smile turned to frown. “How can I slow down? The city is-”

“Go ahead, patrol, Judy, my dear.” Old lady voice attracted the doe’s attention, causing rabbit ears to flick. Judy turned around to greet. “Officer Mabel!” An elderly female goat meter maid, walking with a cane, waved the hand to greet back. “Don’t be worried. I can cover for you two. It has been a light work since nobody dares to roam the streets anyway.” said Mabel.

    Judy grinned and ran to open the driver door of police car. “Thank you, Officer Mabel! Call us if anything happens! Nick! Get in a car!” The bunny ordered, yet Nick tarried. “Hang on~ I wanna appreciate some peaceful moments more-” He was going to take another sip.  A door of passenger seat was opened from the inside, a bunny paw reached out and grabbed his tie. “Hurry!” Judy crawled from driver seat to passenger seat and opened the door to get her partner who struck a pose outside the cruiser. She dragged him in. The fox staggered into a car. “Mah coffee!” almost dropped his cup. They closed the doors in unison then the doe started the engine.

“Good luck” Mabel wished two officers luck as they departed.

\- .... .. -.-. -.- / .- -. -.. / - .... .. -.

    After hours of patrolling around Downtown and Rainforest district, both arrived at Cliffside Asylum. There were a group of mammals yelling at a guard. Bunny cop turned off the engine to take a look.

“You folks ain’t allowed to come in here!” A wolf guard stopped teenage camera crew at the gate. The crew was consisted of bear, fox, rabbit, raccoon and skunk.

“C’mon! We’re not messing around!” A bear, holding a camera, shouted. A skunk flipped a script and assisted protesting. “We’re here to film a documentary.” Juveniles clamored. A rabbit buck brought out a phone to record a video. “This building is wicked! It was involved in former-mayor Lionheart mammal abduction and **Savage** -”

“No video!” The guard swatted buck’s phone away, standing ground to say no to the youngsters.

    Judy observed the fuss, speaking nonspecifically. “Ever since **then** , this place has been forbidden. Suspicious-”

“Hold your horses! Forget about investigation. Even the high ranked police strenuously get a warrant.” Removing his shades, Nick interjected. The mentioned fact distressed the doe. She moaned while staring out the window. Shortly afterwards, Judy jerked, making Nick flinched. He shifted his focus to the same direction as his partner, spotting other raccoon going through the gate when wolf guard was busy dealing with camera crew.

“The thing is, you don’t need a warrant if you have probable cause-” Judy stated then Nick added promptly. “And you saw a potential criminal sneaking in.”

“Bingo~” The doe exclaimed. “Sly bunny~” Tod commented.

“Let’s go. And don’t forget your **driver**!” She said.

“How can you carry **it** with you all the time?” He questioned. “I have my own method.” Bunny responded. Nick and Judy got off the car and used this chance while the guard being distracted to sneak into the complex.

    Inside the asylum, which had dramatically changed, wrecked and abandoned, demolished walls, ceilings and floors, equipments and stuff scattering all over the place, blood stain…, the raccoon intruder held a flashlight in his mouth as he rummaged through a crumbled laboratory. “Where is it? Geez...” Raccoon expressed annoyance. He kept searching though his jaw felt sore from holding the flashlight. But he turned down the light and ducked under a table when he heard some noise, peeping who or what was coming. Two police officers, fox and rabbit, more than enough to identify who they are, scouted about. Nick pointed at one direction and moved his paw in and out, suggesting he should go that way. Judy shook her head to reject Nick’s suggestion. She pointed at Nick, drew her paw in and tapped her chest with index finger, advising him not to separate but stick together.

 _Shoot! Cops!! At least, it’s mammal. I can grab_ **_it_ ** _quickly and get out of here before-_ Speaking of the devil, the most terrifying thing Raccoon wished he did not encounter emerged.

    The partner’s ears captured a scream. They rushed to the source of sound, surprisingly bumping against the intruder. Apparently, he was fleeing from something and there was no need to guess because it followed the raccoon not far behind. Its pupils were glowing in the dark. The duo instantly perceived what it was.

“RunRunRunRunRun!!” Judy commanded incessantly. They raced down the hallway, avoiding tripping concrete wreckage.

“Still some left in here? Good grief~” Nick grumbled.

“ **Savage**...” Judy called a monster that was after them, the mammal-like purple creatures which had threatened Zootopia since one year ago, their behavior resembled the fierce feral animals. Therefore, they were named **Savage**. This one looked similar to a jaguar. However, it had the exoskeleton covering its body and a strip of long fur lined down its spine. Its saliva dripped everywhere while it was chasing police and civilian on all four.

“Bunny! Aren’t you a cop? Shoot it!” Raccoon bawled.

“I have only tranq gun and it doesn’t work on them!” Judy’s lethal weapon was confiscated when she received an assignment that those types of weapons are not necessary.

“Use mine.” Nick gave Judy a pistol. “H-How?” Puzzled, the doe inquired. Subsequently, tod riposted. “I’m not the one getting punished. remember?” Both beamed at each other. Judy grasped Nick’s pistol. It is a bit too big for her paws but she could work on it. Nick offered his firearm since Judy is a better shooter than him. She started firing on **Savage** which was pursuing them.

“For the last time, no means no! You can’t go in-” The wolf guard addressed the final warning to the teenagers before ears perked up to catch the roar from the asylum. Wolf rotated to get a glimpse, three mammals running away from Jaguar **Savage** . “Okay, you kids do whatever you please. I gonna call **SCU**.” Guard and camera crew split.

“You! That way!” Judy told the raccoon, pointing different direction. They made it out of building, still **Savage** kept hunting them.

“Don’t leave me, Coppah!” He whined. Nick swiftly corrected raccoon’s thought. “We will decoy that monster. Now, go!” Fox stressed. The raccoon hesitated. He eventually escaped to hide around the corner of the asylum.

“Finally, we’re left alone.” The doe heaved a sigh of relief. “Ready, partner?” She stopped abruptly, so did the tod. They about-faced the monster and brought out the devices. “Here we go again” Nick was mentally prepared. Both put them over the front middle of waist.

    The devices are identical, arm-sized black machine with purple 1.25 inch diameter flat circle at the center, maroon motorcycle handlebar on the right half and silver syringe having a 45 degree tilt. The devices extended the belt to wrap around the wearer's waist.

    Nick pulled the syringe which has spring mechanism. It was drawn back automatically after he let it go. “DRAW BLOOD” Nick’s device spoke robotically. Blood filled in Nick’s syringe then it teleported into the syringe of Judy’s device. Judy pressed the syringe which sprang out on its own. “INJECT” Judy’s device spoke robotically as well. Fox’s blood was injected into rabbit. He fell asleep standing up, lying unconsciously on the ground.

 **Savage** was charging at the duo. Rabbit uttered. “Transform!” Then she twisted the device’s handle anticlockwise with her right paw. “ IGNITE” Judy’s device spoke. The handle was twisted back by the spring mechanism. It released purple steam, followed by the hot purple mist explosion. **Savage** halted, viewing the mist swallowing the bunny whole. In the thick fog, device core illuminated, two amethyst headlamps shone up where Judy eyes are. The mist was fading, revealing a flamingo red full suit head-to-toe bio armored **Hybrid** between a fox and a rabbit, obvious Judy’s body type, soft metal long rabbit ears, red long fluffy fox tail made of spikes instead of fur, light green torso with blue stripe on front dividing left and right, grayish-tan lower body except flamingo red feet, stylish headlights for eyes and fangs with a pair of buck teeth pattern on muzzle.

 **Savage** ’s instinct commanded it to assault the new threat. The monster stormed towards the armored figure. **Hybrid** sprinted off, dodging to the right side, landing a right hook on Jaguar **Savage** ’s shoulder, knee bashing its throat. **Savage** angled its head upward. **Hybrid** palm struck monster’s chin.

“You punch like a bunny.” Judy jestingly criticized Nick who chuckled at a pun. How can he help it? He was literally in the bunny body…

    The monster bounced back, trying to attack the fox-mixed rabbit once again. Judy protracted the right paw claw, pivoting 360 degree, lacerating **Savage** ’s face. It bellowed in agony. “And you are ferocious.” Tod remarked. “Like a fox~” Doe added. “Oy! That’s all you. Tenderness runs in my blood.” He protested.

 **Savage** veered off, hurtling toward a defenseless sleeping fox. Nick gasped “It’s going after my body!” He panicked. Judy pushed the syringe. “ ACTIVATE” The belt voiced. **Hybrid** zoomed at an incredible pace, breaking through the wind, each step sent the dust flying everywhere, catching up with the monster in a trice. **Hybrid** hopped, trampling on **Savage** ’s back. It paused due to a severe blow, giving an opportunity for **Hybrid** to retrieve Nick’s body. Judy was carrying the fox to the side of building. She laid him down where it must be safe from harm. “Dang! I look good even when I’m napping.~” Nick complimented his presence. He rubbed his chin but Judy intervened. “Cut it out already! We’re far from done with that **Savage**.”

    When **Hybrid** returned, the monster had disappeared. “See! We’ve lost it!” The doe blamed the tod. “Relax, Carrots.” Nick pushed the syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” **Hybrid** ’s ears perked up, harking the sounds of environment, tracing its location. “That way!” Duo shouted.

\- .-. .- -. ... ..-. --- .-. --

    Jaguar **Savage** escaped from Cliffside Asylum and reached South Canyon. However, a trope of armed mammals were blocking a road. They were wearing tactical gears, bulletproof uniforms and face shield helmets, **SCU** logos are embroidered on back and right chest.

“Ready!” A white stallion signaled. **SCU** agents rifles properly. He continued. “Aim!” They target **Savage**. “Fire!” Horse bawled. The agents opened fire on the monster. It stood sideways to avoid the probable damages. Its shell deflected the bullets yet it began to fracture after the several hits. **SCU** team is specialized in exterminating **Savage**. They hastened to track down and eliminate the target as soon as they were contacted by a wolf. The jaguar was about to withdraw. “Quick! If it climbs up that hill, we won’t be able to follow it!” Stallion warned.

“Mine Mine Mine Mine~” The repeated yelling earned agents’ attention. It was as loud as or even louder than the gunshot noise. They stopped shooting to take a gaze. A weird rabbit knight was heading towards their way. Actually, it was the running bio armored bunny fox hybrid. “Don’t ya steal my kill!” said Nick. Judy twisted the device’s handle anticlockwise again. “CRITICAL BREAK” **Hybrid** accelerated to the point of becoming a red blur with amethyst light lines alongside from the eyes. **Hybrid** leaped when getting close enough to **Savage** and roll front flip in mid-air. The partners double kicked the monster’s flank. The impact shattered its exoskeleton. The protracted bunny feet claws were inserted through the shell cracks, digging in **Savage** ’s flesh. **Hybrid** shoved the monster away, landing backflip on a ground. Every part of **Savage** was evaporating as it was dying.

    **SCU** gaped at an armored mammal. “Applause~ Applause~ No need to thank me~ Just doing my job.” Nick babbled. “Freeze, **Hybrid**!” They did not get a round of applause. Instead, the agents were pointing the rifles at **Hybrid** . “I would love to stay but… Gotta dash!” Nick waved a paw. Judy, giggling at a fox’s frisky nature, took control of the body, skedaddling. Horse directed. “Fire tranq dart! Fire!” They shot nonstop at **Hybrid** , who pressed the syringe, “ACTIVATE” vanishing into thin air. “We lost them again!” White horse neighed after Hybrid evaded the special force once again without any traces.

“Let’s meet at the car.” Judy advised, holing up over the hill despite being on the road below merely second ago. “Roger~ See ya, Carrots~” Nick agreed. She pulled the syringe. Blood was drawn and teleported to other syringe as Judy detransformed. The suit let out purple steam then disappeared. Her body and clothes were back to the state before Nick and she fought the monster together.

.- --. .- .. -.

“Hello, this is Jim Tuck.” Just invading the prohibited area, saved by police and hiding behind the side of asylum from the monster, the raccoon made a phone call. “No, I haven’t got a thing yet-” He jerked away from his phone because his interlocutor brawled aggressively. “What was I supposed to do!? **Savage** almost killed me! Look! Just give me more time, okay?” He stayed silent for seconds, hearing the answer. “Good! Deal! Bye!” He hung up and sighed.

“Tough luck huh?” The voice startled Jim. He turned to find the fox officer. Jim tried to bolt but the tod could seize raccoon’s wrist first. “Chill out~ I’m not here to arrest you. In fact, I think I can lend you a paw...” Nick apprised.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/01/18: Here's the first chapter of my first Zootopia fanfic series. I've planned to release the new chapters on Friday. I'm sure there are tons of questions like what are Savages? How can Nick and Judy transform? Everything will be revealed sooner or later... until then hope you enjoy this fic and have great time!


	2. Arcane

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

 **Judy** : Why use the word ‘morph’ anyway?

 **Nick** : Cuz it sounds radical! We should try saying ‘It’s morphin’ time!’-

 **Judy** : Not gonna happen. It’s too cheesy.

 **Nick** : Said by a mammal who announces ‘Transform’ during transformation~

 **Judy** : Shush! We are running out of time but we haven’t mentioned the previous chapter yet!

 **Nick** : Well~ To put it simply, folks, fuzzy bun bun here always meddles in the attack of monsters called Savage, so Chief Buffalo gave us a disciplinary penalty. Still that wasn’t enough to stop Carrots from scouting and Bam! we found a Savage and beat it!

 **Judy** : That’s too slipshod! Can’t just skip the Hybrid part! Gosh! We’re dragging this way too long.

 **Nick** : It’s our first time. We’ll be good at it someday. Until then-

 **Nick & Judy**: Now the chapter 2!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

“-got a report from **SCU** yesterday. A **Savage** showed up at Cliffside Asylum. A guard informed that fox and bunny cops also showed up even though it shouldn’t be possible since they both were supposed to be writing parking tickets in Downtown!... Abandoning your post, trespassing on restricted area, encountering **Savage** but didn’t contact **SCU** … correct me if my assumption is wrong.” Chief Bogo behind a table had summoned Senior Officer Judy Hopps and Senior Officer Nick Wilde to his office, narrating violations that duo had done the day before.

    They sat quietly opposite to their supervisor. Nick was rubbing the back of his neck while Judy froze like a kid in the principal’s office. The cape buffalo shut his eyes and deeply inhaled. “I thought so… Despite being among the best, you two are such troublemakers. I should punish ya right away-” The threat caused fox and rabbit ears stand erect. They was going to voice. “-but lucky for you, new cases keep coming, old cases haven’t been solved yet. Currently, we need you to handle more investigation of illegal possession of Night howlers that’s been increasing recently. I’m counting on experts in this particular kind of cases.”

“Noted, sir” The pair responded, Nick raising right paw in a salute. “Dismissed!” Bogo bawled.

    Nick and Judy exited the room. As a door closed, they let out a groan. “That was tense.” Loosening his tie, tod whispered loudly. The partner ambled down the stairs. “I prayed so hard for him not asking what we did when we faced **Savage** .” The doe hissed. “Thanks tod, those hustler skills enabled me to conceal secrets.” He whined, appreciating his past life. “The less mammals know the truth about **Hybrid**. The better it is.” She ratiocinated. They stepped on the first floor, strolling through the hallway.

“Judy! Nick!” An enthusiastic chubby cheetah hailed the duo from across the entrance. “Hello Jude! Miss me?” The silvery female voice greeted.

    Judy changed direction, rushing towards her friends. “Hi Benjamin. Mornin’ Jasmine! How are you? It’s been a while~” The bunny greeted back, hopping to wrap her arms around bengal tigress neck. By the way, the rabbit lied. She just met Jasmine Fangmeyer yesterday… in the **SCU** group, who targeted them. The tiger had been recruited in the **Savage** Control Unit ( **SCU** ) since the team was first formed but it was good to see their intimate without field gears.

“Sup, Clawhauser, Fangmeyer.” Nick followed, rolling his sleeves up in order to get more casual.

    Jasmine held the doe, gently put her down before addressing the fox “Hey, Wilde.”

“Jasmine and I are gonna go get a lunch. Wanna come?” Cheetah invited them, which Judy promptly replied. “Sure! That would be lovely~”

    Frankly, both Nick and Judy had a rough start with their fellow officers. The partners were discriminated against, which is inevitable because of their species. Even Fangmeyer used to sneer at Judy, thinking she was just a bunny. Nevertheless, after years of cooperation, others came to respect them for who they are. The duo did not hold a grudge; thus, the friendships were born. Nowadays, they can call each other ‘friend’ confidently.

-.-. --- -- .-. .- -.. . ...

“It’s funny… ” Judy uttered, confusing her workmates. “What, Fluff?” Nick questioned. Four of them were eating at Savanna Central local diner’s outdoor table. Guys were sitting on the same side while ladies were taking the seats of opposite side. Felines were facing one another, so were the partners.

“These days, Midnicampum holicithias has become an illegal plant. One cannot possess exceeding a certain amount which depends on legal documents one owns according to their occupation.” the doe explained. Everybody knew this fact about Midnicampum holicithias or Night howlers. However, her friends still did not understand what the doe tried to convey. “What’s funny then?” Jasmine spoke out for the rest, poking her seafood salad with a fork.

“They used to be all over the place. My family grew them to keep bugs off the produce. After Night howler case and the new law created, many label this plant as a menace. My parents even gotta find a substitute.” the doe elucidated.

“At least, those scarecrows are getting more jobs.” The tod joked. “Y’know they’re for discouraging birds, not bugs right? Besides, they’re barely practical.” His partner delivered the requisite reality-check. Both made the feline fellows chortle.

    The mention of Night howlers jogged Clawhauser’s memory. “Oh! Please remind me to hand you the case file-” He was requesting when Fangmeyer interjected. “C’mon guys! It’s lunch break. Don’t bring up the work. Anyhow,  are there anybody seeing someone… special?” She grinned cheekily. The cheetah awkwardly smiled. “Do donuts count?” He quizzed. “Sorry, Ben. No.” Tigress gave the answer Benjamin expected. “Well, I might be too good at making friends, so...” He muttered. Nick contemplated his pal’s statement. “Got friendzoned huh? Poor thing~” Fox sympathized.

“What about you, Judy?” Clawhauser passed the baton to Judy to tackle peeps’ attention. “You’ve always been popular. Must be lots of mammals hitting on ya.” said Jasmine. Every eyes pinned on the rabbit opening her mouth. “Nah~ I’m too busy working. My off-time is terribly uncertain. It’s better to hang out with my partner. We usually get off work at the same time. Crashing at his apartment for sharing meals and movie night, spending time with him in general is quite pleasant… Did I say something wrong?” Judy’s words left two big cats goggling at her. Tod guffawed at how innocent the bunny was.

“I’m not paying for this! Food doesn’t deserve even half the price!” At nearby table, dark brown slim bull moose grumbled. A koala waitress was scared by bull’s manner. Cops who witnessed the scene were about to take an action, especially the rabbit. “Hold up, Carrots.” Nick halted her. Judy was on the verge of disputing but “Quiet! You’re disturbing others!” cow moose that sit with aggressive moose scolded her probable associate. The bull angrily walked off. The waitress was unsure what to do. “Just leave him. He’s always like this.” The cow beamed at the koala.

“See~?” Nick smirked, picking up a bug burger from his plate to take a bite. “Wow! Wilde, you know them?” The tiger agent inquired, which the fox officer boastfully quipped. “I know everybody~ like reading a book, except this unpredictable cute bunny.” He referred to Judy in the way that would trigger her. Everyone anticipated a protest from the doe.

“Hey Nick, what does bug burger taste like?” Rabbit sniffed the smell of meat patty wafting through the air. Since her partner started digging in his meal, she had been captivated by the scent and the predatory ways of eating, fangs chomping breads, lettuce leaves and minced insects.

“Hmm? Like chicken sandwich but greasier I guess.” He gave a straight answer. “And how am I supposed to know the chicken taste?” She jested, resulting in a snigger from the rest.

“Kinda weird that prey’s interested in predator’s diet, isn’t it?” Cheetah presumed. “Cuz she is an unpredictable bun bun.” Nick bantered, reaching to pat Judy’s head. “Nick, don’t! Your fingers are oily!” She tried to block his paw. _Bet she doesn’t even notice…_ Clawhauser and Fangmeyer thought, recollecting the dating question.

    The scream together with roar attracted mammals’ attention in the area. The police officers recognized the noise. “ **Savage** ! Evacuate!” Judy directed, pushing Nick’s paw away, hurriedly taking control of the situation. Moose **Savage** appeared from ally. The muscular feral purple capreoline went on a rampage.

“Officer- I mean- Agent Fangmeyer to dispatch! **Savage** !---” Jasmine radioed while helping Benjamin clear the area. She told **SCU** the location detail. It was ironically fortunate that many mammals were frightened to be outdoors. Therefore, evacuation was rather easy. “Okay, team should arrive soon. Ben and you two- Jude!” She was shocked to see her rabbit friend holding a gun which is useless against most **Savage** s. Normal gun can only slow them down at best.

“We’ll buy you some time. Go!” The doe insisted. Tigress grouched for a moment. However, she decided to leave with cheetah eventually, having no weapon and knowing how determined Judy can be.

“Alone at last.” Nick licked his paw, cleaning the burger grease off. Judy put back the gun. They confronted **Savage** fearlessly. “Ready, partner?” She brought out the black device with the purple circle core, 45 degree angled silver syringe on the left and maroon handlebar on the right.

“Born ready.” He turned around then fled. “Hey! Wait! Where are you going?” The doe panicked. “Hiding! No way I gonna fall asleep defenseless in the middle of battlefield!” The racing tod vociferated. “Ya gotta be kidding me!” She shouted, bewaring of the monster.

    Moose **Savage** attacked bunny officer. She dodged its antlers, putting the device on her in order not to inconveniently grasp the arm-sized device. Device’s belt wrapped itself around her waist mechanically. She kept hopping, darting away and avoiding all the attacks, pretty out of breath. “Finally!” She cheerily exclaimed when she spotted Nick’s blood in her syringe, meaning he found a place to hide and had proceeded with transformation. She was going to transform but the monster was still hunting her. The rabbit dived off from getting gored then rolled on the ground. Sitting with knees up, she gazed at **Savage** which was aiming on her. As it was hurtling towards Judy, she pressed the syringe. “  INJECT  ” The device spoke robotically. Then she spontaneously twisted the handle anticlockwise. “  IGNITE  ” The transformation’s broiling purple mist explosion blew the monster away, revealing the bio-armored fusion between a fox and a rabbit, **Hybrid** , shiny full body metal-like exoskeletons in Nick’s hustler color scheme, rabbit ears, fox tail and two amethyst headlights for eyes.

“Safe~” Nick swept **Hybrid** ’s legs before standing up, uttering a baseball vocabulary, implying he made it in time. “What took you so long?” Judy griped.

    Moose **Savage** arose, shaking off a daze from the stream blast. It and **Hybrid** simultaneously ran into one another. The monster jumped whilst **Hybrid** slid under it. Nick and Judy elongated claws. Cupped paws thrust upward, the claws stabbing **Savage** ’s abdominal skin. It slumped down ignominiously. **Hybrid** sprung up, striking a fighting pose.

“Let’s end this quick. I don’t wanna waste lunch break.” Doe talked with tod. She approached the injured moose.

    Suddenly, something crashed **Hybrid** from the side. **Hybrid** fell over and rolled. Fox got up on knees to observe what had just hit him and bunny.... or just bunny with his mind also in her body. “Other **Savage** !” Both yelled. A drooling purple spiky haired wolverine **Savage** emerged out of the blue. Naturally, **Savage** s had spread across Zootopia since one year ago. It was no surprise to see more of them unexpectedly showing up.

    The moose got back on hoofed feet. **Savage** s were cautiously circling around **Hybrid** , who retracted the claws while inspecting beasts’ motion. Two monsters rapidly charged at the armored mixed breed from both left and right. Paw pressed the syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” Afterwards, **Savage** s should assail their single prey. However, the event turned out to be them colliding with each other.

“We’re here!” An exuberant male tone pronounced. **Hybrid** stood a step away, mockingly glaring at the tricked monsters.

    Fox and rabbit just activated the phenomenal ability. Deception and survival are essential hustler’s skills that **Hybrid** adopted and applied for a fight, which consequently created the instant movement technique capacitating **Hybrid** to move in a split second. That was why Nick and Judy can relocate from one place to another or effortlessly elude **SCU** , sardonically reminding Judy of the time when she first learned that Nick was a con-artist and she was fooled by Nick pointing other way then he disappeared around a corner when she turned back.

 **Hybrid** span to generate momentum, swinging right leg around circularly to slash **Savage** s’ flesh with protracted foot claw. The wolverine bent away in due course, thereby receiving shallower wound than the moose which was flopping down due to lacerations, still it was not enough to finish off the monster.

    Wolverine **Savage** drew back. **Hybrid** hounded it. Fists, kicks and claws did not reach the target. It ducked every strike and not let its foe get close. Tod and doe ceased roughing up **Savage** or attempting leastwise.

“Keeping a distance, I see~ Clever girl~” Fox quoted a movie. “I think it’s a male, Nick.” Bunny analysed this wolverine’s figure being larger than average females. “Doo do doo doo DO Doo do doo doo-” He hummed the movie theme, making his partner roll her eyes.

    Judy twisted the handlebar clockwise. “ FORM SHIFT-POLICE  ” The device vocalized, releasing a purple fog covering **Hybrid** whose armour emit steam from gaps synchronously. The purple core and the amethyst headlights brightened in brume. The duo as one thrashed left arm to clear the haze, unveiling the same flamingo red armored hybrid but with some alteration, navy police hat with gold ZPD logo added to the top of helmet, rabbit ears flat against the back of head, blue arms and torso, dark scale vest, black armlets on both forearms, dark blue lower half except red feet, grey knee pads.

“ **Hybrid** Police form. Policed to meet you~” Nick introduced **Hybrid** ’s other form to **Savage** s. They had not taken action yet, providing the partners an opportunity. Tod pushed the syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” Nothing happened. “Where is it?” Doe asked. “It takes time to summon **it**. You should have known, Carrots.” He informed. “No! Now, we need a pistol! That’s reason I chose this form!” She vociferated. “How am I supposed to know what to activate!?” The fox claimed. “Get a clue!!” The rabbit hollered.

    Whilst the pair were bickering, wolverine **Savage** engaged them. “Oh fudge!” Nick blurted out as Judy warded off the monster. Paws smacked it time and time again to divert its dashes towards them. “It’s not working! Physical strength is obviously weaker than Hustler form.” She shoved the wolverine, comparing the current form’s branch of power to the previous form’s. **Savage** tried to hurt **Hybrid** once more. “Then use a lifeline~” He suggested. Doe accepted an advice by pressing the syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” Wolverine pounced on **Hybrid**. Its fangs and nails hit hard.

“Easy, mate~ Ya don’t wish-” Nick used an Australian accent seeing that **Savage** was a wolverine which sort of reminded him of Outback Island even if wolverines are not originated from this district. “-to ruin those perfect teeth, do ya?” Judy finished the sentence. The monster was obstructed by a chain, handcuffs on both ends. **Hybrid** tied **Savage** ’s arms and muzzle with the chain, holding handcuffs in left paw while right punch pummeled the beast’s face. Next, **Hybrid** leaped over the dazed wolverine and hurled it across the street.

The monster, slipping out of the chain, intuitively landed on feet. **Hybrid** steadily strode forward as **Savage** recoiled. Nonetheless, distance was no obstacle anymore. The chain was lengthened. **Hybrid** swung the weighted chain in a large circle over the head and then whipped the monster. Handcuff smashed into wolverine’s rear. **Hybrid** yanked the chain back and lashed the monster’s flank with other end. It was thrashed by handcuffs on both ends, unable to defend or escape.

    The moose **Savage** rose after it recuperated, scuffing front right hoof on road surface. It sprinted, intending to butt the armored cop.

    The moose cried. All of a sudden, a car ran into **Savage** ’s side before it could touch **Hybrid** . The duo paused beating wolverine to look around. Moose **Savage** overturned. “Right on time~Just as planned.” Nick bragged about the arrived vehicle he summoned earlier. It is a hatchback sports car, painted in black with white on the doors, having a pair of sirens at the top. “It was just a coincidence, wasn’t it?” Judy felt that her partner did not plan anything. The car luckily came at the most appropriate time, rescuing them from an assault.

    The wolverine seized a chance to flee, limping down the road when **Hybrid** turned back. “It’s getting away!” Tod changed the subject, ignoring doe’s doubt. She focused the hobbling monster and then push the syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” The handcuffs vanished. Thereafter, a pistol, suitable for rabbit, popped up. It is a black AutoMag with a purple cylinder-like extra part and an auburn grip. **Hybrid** grabbed it to shoot at wolverine. Six bullets were fired in a mere second. Wolverine **Savage** suffered from several gun holes, beyond a dozen, as it collapsed. Nick chuckled, twirling the gun.

“Let’s finish this for real. We still have the other one to deal with.” Judy span the cylinder, sparks flying out.

“Freeze, **Hybrid** !” The pair, interfered, averted their gaze from the monster. “You’re here at last! Please save us~” Nick mocked **SCU** troop. Judy even saw tiger gal pal, full gear set, among the agents.

“Drop your weapon!” Demanding, they parked their vehicles surrounding **Hybrid** , sports car and **Savage** s. The moose one bounced back, scramming through encirclement.

“I would love to stay and sign autographs but I really mustache~” He punned. **Hybrid** got in the sports car. “Stop!” White stallion commanded. “Can you handle **Savage** lying over there? Thank you, bye~” Nick saluted. Meanwhile, Judy drove off to chase the moose. **SCU** mammals must make a way. “Wait!” The horse grunted. When other agents checked the riddled wolverine, it had already begun to evaporated, indicating it was dead. “Darn you, **Hybrid**!!” He cursed.

    In the meantime, moose **Savage** was bolting blindly in Savanna Central, pursued by black and white. The car drew alongside the monster. The driver’s window was slid down, which allow **Hybrid** to talk to **Savage** despite the fact that it probably would not understand.

“Why vamoose, mr. moose?”

“Bun bun just made a pun.” Tod cracked up. “Guess I’m infected with your habit.” Doe joshed. Their car outpaced the moose then drifted to cut in front of it. Hybrid braked the sports car, opening the door, aiming the pistol in her left paw at **Savage** while her right paw twisting the device’s handlebar anticlockwise. “  CRITICAL BREAK  ” The gun fired a energy ball. It exploded like a firework. The burning lights curved to strike the monster.

    Moose **Savage** , crumpling, completely disintegrated. Nick pretended to blow away gun smoke from the barrel though there was no smoke and Hybrid cannot blow the air because of a helmet.

“Sweet cheese. We’ve driven pretty far off from where we left your body, huh?” Judy had just realized. “We shall meet up later then.” He proposed. “Ahh, see ya, Nick.” She agreed, pulling the syringe to draw her blood out. It was teleported as she detransformed.

.- .-. -.-. .- -. .

    Fox opened his eyes. Apparently, his mind was transferred back to his body. He moaned, experiencing fatigue.

“You’re awake.” Deep gravely voice uttered next to tod.

“Hang on...” Knackered, Nick pressed the syringe, injecting blood teleported from Judy. All weariness had gone at once. “Much better, thanks for the ride, Fin.” Tod expressed his gratitude to the driver. He was presently sitting on a passenger seat of the moving van, not leaning against a wall like the doe believed.

    Back before **Hybrid** transformation, Nick texted his former partner-in-crime, Finnick the fennec fox, to pick him up where he fell unconscious and give him a lift. “Did you coddle my body when I passed out?” Nick examined his physical body.

“I’m being more than a generous guy. I carried somebody almost twice my size, fatass.” Finnick beefed, glancing the belt bound around fox’s waist. “Seriously, man, that thing you’re wearing is unnerving.”

“You mean **MidniDriver** ?” Nick tapped the morpher, **MidniDriver** , the devices he used with his bunny partner to transform into **Hybrid**. “Yeah, midnight whatever. Anyways, what’s the plan?” Finnick wondered, concentrating on the road. “Just go to the place I sent you a location. I have an appointment with Tuck boy~” Nick mentioned Jim Tuck, the raccoon who intruded Cliffside Asylum… who also accepted fox cop’s help.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 19/01/18: Thank you, folks, for checking this fanfic series. Please feel free to leave comments. I would love to hear them. I'll try to post the new chapters on Fridays, not every week but I will try to be active as much as possible. Until then, have magical time~  
> 22/01/18: The next chapter might get delayed due to my job application and the series will take a fortnight break because of exam preparation. Sorry folks


	3. A deception

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

 **Judy** : Zootopia, a modern civilized city populated by all kinds of mammals, is threatened by mysterious mammal-like monsters, Savage; therefore, Savage Control Unit or SCU was formed in order to exterminate those monsters, still... the team alone isn’t enough if you ask me.

 **Nick** : When wild Savages appeared, we changed into Hybrid to save the day. Last time, we even got a chance to use Police form which has a pistol to shoot down the monsters and a vehicle for chasing.

 **Judy** : Currently, there are new missing mammal cases and night howler cases. Oh! Besides, it seems we’re lucky that we weren’t punished anymore.

 **Nick** : If you called a light duty a punishment, I would be glad to receive it.

 **Judy** : Don’t be down in the dumps, Nick. You look cool when you’re in action.

 **Nick** : If so, I don’t mind get some action, Carrots.

 **Judy** : That’s a spirit! Wait, what!?

 **Nick** : Now the Chapter 3!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

“-You’re under arrest for Midnicampum holicithias trafficking.” In the night, Senior officer Judy Hopps locked a gray fox tod’s arm behind his back, pressing him against a wall of alley. “You should dub it ‘Night howler’, Carrots. It’d save us time.” Her partner, Senior officer Nick Wilde, advised. They were capturing an illicit night howler dealer.

    The criminal fox in denim clothes was alarmed by a smaller mammal. He could not escape bunny cop’s grasp no matter how hard he struggled. “How can you betray your own kind? Aren’t you a fox too?” He asked the fox cop. “And a real handsome one” Nick, smirking, self praised. The trafficker’s face flamed with anger as he insulted the red fox. “You filthy son of a-Ouch!!”

“Don’t you dare address my partner like that!” Doe squeezed the speckled coated fox’s wrist. Nick stuck his tongue out at the grey tod.

    The partner thought this week would be simple, just handling illegal night howler trade which occurred sporadically. However, they were wrong...

“Now… not only mammals in nearby towns went missing but also citizens of Zootopia...” Chief Bogo the Cape buffalo informed sternly at the podium. He pointed at a push pin-pocked Zootopia map that was covered in photos of missing mammals. “There’re 8 missing mammal cases so far. This must be some gangs’ doing, yet nothing can be concluded. Today, we have victims’ family or associates here in ZPD. They’re willing to give us info which can be useful for cases. I will arrange interviews. Meanwhile, whoever doesn’t have an urgent matter, look up the overall cases.” He exited the bullpen.

    Every officer seemed serious in equal manner. Some left the room to perform their tasks. Fox and rabbit cops got off a chair, walking up to the map. “This moose… have I met him before?” Judy was staring at a picture of a dark brown slim bull. “Yeah! I definitely have seen him before! At the diner in Savanna Central!” She remembered the moose she saw few days ago when she had a lunch with Clawhauser, Fangmeyer and Nick. “Civilian has gone missing right under our noses… scary...” Tod remarked.

    The other officer came to scrutinize the map. “Can it be…?” The male bengal tiger scowled. His expression concerned doe. “What’s wrong, Jackson?” She inquired. “Na- na- Nothing-” Jackson Rajah, the bengal tiger ZPD officer, stuttered. “By the way, how is Fangmeyer?” He changed the subject, talking about Jasmine Fangmeyer the bengal tigress transferred to special unit, **SCU** . “Jasmine? Little bit tired from **Savage** hunt but she’s fine. She’s just visited ZPD recently. Didn’t you meet her?” Bunny’s question caused tiger speechless. He mumbled something and before she could catch anything-

“Hopps, Wilde, follow me. One of the victims’ family is ready for interview.” Bogo opened a door and called for the duo. “Let’s go, Carrots.” Said Nick, buttoning his uniform collar for neatness. “See ya later, Jackson.” Judy bid farewell. “Take care.” Rajah waved his paw goodbye. The partner walked out the room.

\-- .. ... ... .. -. --.

“Tadashi Hamada, 21-year old raccoon dog, a student at Zootopia Institute of Technology, has been missing for a week. Last time you saw him, he was working on his project at his campus, correct, Ms. Hamada?” Nick, holding a report, reviewed the case to two tanukis sitting opposite to the duo in an interview room.

“Yes” Cass Hamada, tanuki in mid-thirties, dressing in a short sleeved v-neck and a pair of capris, topped off with a silver-turquoise necklace, confirmed. “Please officers… My nephew is a good kit, an honor student. He would never just disappear.” Her voice quavered a moment.

“Tadashi’s bike was left nearby his lab! He absolutely didn’t run away!” Hiro Hamada, a 14-year old tanuki, wearing casual clothes and blue hoodie, spoke up.

“We believe you, Hiro.” Judy ambled towards civilians. “We will find him. I promise.” She clasped both tanukis’ one paw. Nick, pursing his lips, knew well… _Again... She didn’t make a promise just to soothe the family but she genuinely believed they will find Tadashi and bring him home_. In the past three years, notwithstanding how remarkable the doe is, the tod had witnessed she got hurt because she believed too much… The moment one’s hope crumbles is undeniably painful…

.--. .-. --- -- .. ... .

    A wolf security guard was stationed at the gate of Cliffside Asylum, being on the lookout. Ever since a group of juveniles annoyed the canine and **Savage** appeared there, the place had been peaceful and calm.

“Good afternoon~ How’re ya doing?” A jolly male voice broke the silence. The guard’s jaw dropped once seeing who was the voice owner. “O-O-Officer N-Ni-Nick Wilde!?” Wolf stammered from excitement of meeting a semi-celebrity, Nick Wilde, the first and only one ZPD officer.

“Am I bothering you?” Fox approached the other canine. “No! O-Of course not, sir! Wh-What brings you here?” The guard was still nervous. “I just happen to be around here, so I pay a visit.” Nick behaved friendly in order to put the wolf at ease. Nonetheless, his words increased the wolf’s agitation. “You… come to see me?” Stunned, wolf wondered.

“Thanks for cooperation last week~ Y’know, contacting **SCU** when **Savage** showed up~” The fox gesticulated, attempting to elucidate his appreciation. “My great pleasure to help, sir.” Wolf smiled slightly. “Sorry that you had to experience a mess.” Tod expressed sympathy. “It’s okay, sir. Actually, nothing has happened much around here, so a little bit excitement is kinda nice.” Guard giggled.

    As wolf’s guard was lowered down, a raccoon ran past the gate. “What?” Wolf took time to register what had just passed the gate. “Oh no! Halt!” Wolf guard snapped out, about to follow the intruder. “I’ll chase him. You stay here.” Fox officer touched wolf’s elbow softly to detain the guard then he dashed off. “You’re sure? I gonna call reinforcement!” Wolf held a phone, pressing the number. Tod about-turned, ran backward and yelled. “No! Stay there! Don’t let anyone else come in! And better not tell anybody cuz if they learn how you let a lad passing through, you’ll be in trouble!” He made the guard realize that the intruder was able to pass through the gate because the wolf solely focused on the fox celebrity, thereby neglecting guard’s duty. Wolf guard nodded, putting down the phone. Nick gave the thumbs up then turned back, speeding up towards a building.

    Inside the Cliffside Asylum building, Jim Tuck the teenage raccoon in black jacket and yellow t-shirt began to explore a ruined story, sneaking around mutely not to draw **anything** ’s attention to himself. However, something patted his shoulder, startling the raccoon. He stepped away hastily.

“Cool down kid~ Don’t start treasure hunting without me.” Nick raised both paws, gesturing he meant no harm. “Geez… Do you really have to tail along?” Jim’s heart still beat fast. He was losing patience with the fox police officer’s waggishness.

“I thought we’ve approved this plan. If you leave here alone, guard will at the very least try to capture you. I guarantee it won’t end pretty~” Nick emphasized on the ‘at the very least’ part. He continued explaining. “But if you walk out with me, pretending you get caught by police...” Tod quieted down, wanting Jim to say how situation would play out. “I will obtain **flash drive** and simply get away. Okay, fine, argh.” The raccoon grunted. “Exactly~ Let’s roll~” Fox clapped his paws.

    Since the only legit entrance of Cliffside Asylum is through the front gate, Nick had done his homework, studying each guard’s behavior and their shifts; thus, he came up with the plan to enter the building during a shift of one particular guard who is a wolf and a sucker for bigwigs. Fox plotted to distract the guard while Jim trespassing on property and then Nick would go after. When the raccoon achieved the goal, the fox would lead him out and lie to the guard that he arrested the teen and took him to ZPD but actually would drop Jim off somewhere else. This is the plan Nick and Jim agreed upon.

    Whilst Jim flashed the light in left paw and rifled through a crumbled laboratory, desk to desk, Nick investigated deftly in a dim area owing to his night vision. He came across the wreckage of devices scattering all over the floor, broken black metal pieces , maroon handle-like sticks, sliver syringes and purple half spheres. He immediately recognized the parts… **MidniDriver** … but in various sizes, from large enough for bear to small enough for tiny otter. Furthermore, he discovered a burnt paper sheet, picking it up to read.

 _MidniDriver project_ It seemed to be a hard copy about **MidniDriver**. Nick skimmed through it. The main idea was...

_Binary bridge system is developed for connecting two users’ belts. MidniDriver requires apperception, instinct and blood of predators but the main body must be preys. MidniDriver application purely on predators can cause critical side-effects because the core of device is-_

This was as far as tod can read. The rest was gone. He interpreted that basically **MidniDriver** places the predator’s software in the prey’s hardware, yet Nick pondered. _But back then... Carrots and I transformed into-_ His recall was interfered when Jim appealed for assistance.

“Wilde. Little help here.” The raccoon strove to pull out a jammed desk drawer. Fox folded the paper and kept it in his pocket. He neared Jim, assisting him. “On the count of three. One, two, three!” They tugged the drawer open together under Nick’s signal. Fox slipped, bumping his button against the floor full of concrete fragments. “Ow~” He, gazing down, touched his bum gently.

“Found it.” Jim whisper-shouted, lifting a thumb-sized flash drive from the drawer. “So this is what you’ve been searching for.” Nick arose then snatched the flash drive from Jim’s paw. “Hey! Give it back!” Jim reached to retrieve flash drive but Nick dodged before the raccoon could lay a finger on the object. “Gimme dang thing!” Jim repeatedly attempted to regain possession as Nick could dodge every time. Fox’s ears flicked, responding to a noise from the hallway. Jim flashed the light at Nick’s face, intending to catch him off guard. Tod threw the flash drive away, which raccoon did not predict. Jim released the grip, going after the thrown object flying to the hallway.

“Nice throw, Slick~” Rabbit police officer caught the flash drive, shocking the raccoon who froze still. “Nice catch, Carrots~” Fox officer strutted past the raccoon. “How can you get in?” He advanced towards his partner. “Well, I deceived a guard that you contacted me for support, so I can enter here, no sweat.” Judy answered, tossing the flash drive up and seized it when it fell down. “Sly bunny~” He opined. “Clever fox~” She complimented, inserting the object into trousers’ back pocket.

“What’s the meaning of this!? Did you trick me!?” Jim bellowed, ignoring the circumstance he might disturb the threats in this place. He connected the dots, comprehending that Fox offered to assist just for learning what he schemed to steal and confiscating it in the process.

    The duo’s eyes met. Both thereupon laughed. “It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.” They stated simultaneously, smirking at Jim, making him retort. “You dirty-”

    The roar drowned out other noises. Three mammals were able to identify the source of horrendous cry. “Time’s up! We must leave now!” Nick told Jim. Although the pair should skedaddle right away, citizen’s safety is priority. They had to make sure Jim fled securely. Besides, the raccoon was a minor. It would be too cruel to abandon him. “My flash drive!” The teen persisted in reclaiming. “Beat it!” Judy commanded. Tod dragged raccoon, saving him from an ambush. Couples of orbs glowed in the dark...

-.. . -.-. . .--. - .. --- -.

“Are they alright?” The wolf guard worried about two officers who accessed Cliffside Asylum to pursue the criminal. Next, he felt déjà vu, ears perking up to catch the scream from the building, rotating to glance at mammals running. The guard did not even behold what they were escaping from but wolf had scrammed.

    Three of them managed to get out of the asylum. Nevertheless, the trio of little **Savage** s kept chasing them. “That way!” Judy directed Jim to the other way. “Noted” This time, he consented to follow her order readily, veering off, departing the place.

“That was rather easy.” Nick raised eyebrows. He assumed it should be harder to cast the young raccoon out. The duo slackened their pace to a stop, swiveling to face the monsters, a scurry of purple flying squirrels which possessed 2 compound eyes, insect mandibles for mouth and feet resembling beetle claws. “Ready, partner?” Judy brought out **MidniDriver** , an arm-sized black morpher with silver syringe on the left and maroon motorcycle handle on the right. “Hang on!" Nick endeavored to draw out the device hidden in his pants. “Quick!” She rushed him. “This thing’s so big! How can you carry it with ya like all the time!?” Tod finally drew out the morpher successfully. “I have my own method.” Doe replied sincerely.

    Bunny and fox put on **MidniDriver** . He pulled the syringe that was retracted mechanically. “  DRAW BLOOD  ” Blood flowed into his syringe then it teleported into the syringe of Judy’s device. She pressed the syringe which sprang out on its own, “  INJECT  ” injecting fox blood to herself. Nick flopped standing up, lying unconsciously on the ground.

“Transform!” Judy sprinted forth, twisting the handle anticlockwise. “ IGNITE  ” Device’s handle whirled back after she let it go. **MidniDriver** released purple steam, followed by the scorching purple mist explosion. A flamingo red bio-armored blend of rabbit and fox, **Hybrid** , emerged from a haze.

    The lustrous metallic doe, added fox’s tail and fang pattern on muzzle part of helmet, in Nick’s casual clothes color scheme barreled towards the monsters. They leapt, spread their patagia and soared into the air. **Hybrid** halted, watching out for **Savage** s’ next move, seeing that they were gliding around the twosome. Nick and Judy perceived well that they can only combat at close range in a current form, Hustler form. Hence he proposed. “Shall we shoot ‘em with a bow?”

“Great idea.” Judy was going to grasp the maroon handle. One **Savage** dove to pounce on **Hybrid** ’s right shoulder joint. Slipping, the doe swept a squirrel off. It flew away while others swooped on **Hybrid** from behind, causing the pair to stumble.

“These little fella are fast!” Tod exclaimed. He swing a fist. However, the monsters took flight before the fist hit them. One ascended, nibbling rabbit ear. **Hybrid** was not hurt. The ears appear soft and flexible, yet hard and strong like steel. Doe shook the small monster off. The rest of scurry crashed into flamingo occiput. **Hybrid** almost tumbled.

    Albeit squirrel **Savage** s barely did any damages, their celerity really irritate the duo. Protracting claws, **Hybrid** gyrated to scratch the monsters. They missed. Judy’s eyes locked at one **Savage** which glided towards insensible fox officer. “Carrots!” Nick alerted. Judy pushed the syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” **Hybrid** hared off, overtaking the squirrel. She crouched down over tod’s body to protect him. “Eek! Feral bun bun gonna eat me!!” Nick imitated girl voice poorly. “Hush!” The doe concentrated on the monsters wheeling around above the pair. Both bid their time patiently.

 **Savage** s charged at **Hybrid** . At that instant they sensed monsters’ presence close by, **Hybrid** bounced up, spinning in mid-air, stretching out to clutch two squirrels with both paws and stab another squirrel with sharp left toenails. Two **Savage** s deceased as soon as the claws impaled them, force crushing their bones. Duo landed on feet next to fox body. Left foot scraped against the floor, injuring the last squirrel monster worse. They all vaporized, ceasing to exist.

“Yet another victory~” Nick announced delightedly but Judy asserted differently. “Not yet… The roar we heard previously doesn’t belong to any of these-” The same roar as before interrupted the doe.

 **Savage** , four-eyed purple kangaroo with an extra pair of folded limbs at flanks, came out of the building. It bounded ahead as **Hybrid** strode over fox’s body then approached a huge marsupial determinedly. Judy hopped and kicked the monster whilst it stood on tail to shove its opponent away with feet. Both sides moved back, still **Savage** moved farther than **Hybrid** did. The pair backflipped before landing safely. Kangaroo overleapt. **Hybrid** jumped to the monster, aiming to strike it in mid-air.

    However, **Savage** extended its extra arms, flapping membrane wings. “What!” Fox and bunny cried out. Their punch failed to hit because kangaroo shifted upward. The four-eyed monster drop-kicked **Hybrid**. The duo descended to the ground.

“Ouchies, I call in sick tomorrow.” Nick whined. “It’s my body that got attacked, plus this doesn’t even hurt. It’ll scarcely affect ya.” Judy countered. They observed kangaroo beating its wings, rising higher and higher, beyond 6 stories.

“You know what they say. The higher they rise~” Tod uttered “The harder they fall.” Doe completed the clause. **Hybrid** performed a kip-up, stooping down, twisting **Midnidriver** ’s handle anticlockwise. “  CRITICAL BREAK  ” **Hybrid** skied aloft, reaching **Savage** instantaneously at 75 feet above ground. “Did you know? Rabbits can jump as high as the moon.” The united twosome quizzed. **Hybrid** span from left to right, body in a horizontal position. Leg shin smote the monster. Kangaroo plummeted to earth.

    **Hybrid** plunged to the floor majestically, standing upright, viewing **Savage** vaporizing. “Mission accomplished!” Nick lifted a closed left paw. “Mission accomplished” Judy tapped the left fist with the right, sort of like **Hybrid** fist-bumped oneself

\-- --- --- -.

    Jim Tuck managed to withdraw from Cliffside Asylum. “I understand! I messed up.” He was later arguing with an eurasian brown bear who had a prosthetic right arm. They were surrounded by intimidating mammals in a gloomy room. “Darn right, Jimmy. The flash drive is now in the police paw. Slim chance we gonna acquire it.” The bear signaled his underling. Full grown opossum seized raccoon’s wrist. “Wait, John!” Jim hollered the bear’s name. “It’s Mr. Silver to you!” Opossum shouted at raccoon.

“Mr. Silver. Yes, you may be right but I have something you might want more.” What Jim said interested John Silver the bear. He waved his paw, telling opossum to unpaw the teen, which opossum did so. Jim rubbed his own wrist, discerning no injury; therefore, he moved on, bringing out something underneath his hoodie jacket. He laid it on nearby table. Other mammals ,including John, goggled at it, a sealed test tube of purple liquid. Jim stole the chemicals secretly from the same drawer before he found the flash drive.

“Deal’s done. Let my brothers go.” Raccoon demanded. Bear gave his underlings a look. They nodded. A few mammals grabbed hold of raccoon. “Hey! Let go of me!” Jim wriggled, yet it was futile. “The thing is… I’m thinking about extending our contract.” John Silver the bear grinned.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 29/01/18: Oh holy guacamole~ This chapter's quite late huh? But better late than never~ I had a bit conflict aside from the job thing I mentioned before. I didn't want Hybrid to look weaker but I also wanna play around the toku hero cliche that heroes tend to be weaker in later episodes. Anyway, I will take a break writing this series for few weeks in order to preparing myself on the upcoming exam but writing this series teach me English more than I expected, so I might be able to work on new chapters sometimes. Until then~ Hope you enjoy reading this fic. Please leave comments and have a magical time~  
> 30/01/18: Sooo I edited this chapter, adding a little detail. It doesn't affect overall story. It just forgot to put it in to clarify the event.


	4. Blind

**Judy** : Previously on Zoomorphia~

 **Nick** : Thanks to my wisdom, we learned what Tuck boy sought in Asylum and managed to steal- ‘borrow’ it for investigation. Though I don’t know who he’s working for~ Hey! It’s better than nothing right?

 **Judy** : We also should work on the new missing mammal cases. Right now, not only mammals outside but inside Zootopia have gone missing as well.

 **Nick** : Carrots, have you wondered why are your clothes still intact after Hybrid transformation? Aren’t they supposed to got rekt by explosion or torn by bio armor?

 **Judy** : No idea but that’s good cuz I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to afford getting new uniforms every time I transform.

 **Nick** : Boo~ That’s too bad. I miss a chance waking up to witness bare bun-

 **Judy** : You’d better hit pause right there, lewd fox!

 **Nick** : Just Kidding! But you’re correct. That’s good. It’d have been troublesome if you’d transformed and lost the flash drive.

 **Judy** : Speaking of flash drive, what should we do next? We can’t report about the event.

 **Nick** : Good luck when Chief finds out, partner~

 **Judy** : Don’t throw a burden on me!

 **Nick** : Now the chapter 4!

 **Judy** : Are you listening!?

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

“This is a serious dead end...” Judy sighed, staring a ‘Please enter password’ pop-up window on a computer screen. “We can’t gain access to files in flash drive. We lost the kid who may have a password. We don’t even know his objective, why he or mammals he works with want this flash drive. We clearly hit dead end.” She ranted, her back against the back of a chair.

“We will find the way, Carrots.” Said Nick, holding morning coffee mug, elbows on backrest of the chair his partner was sitting. Judy had been trying to crack a password for couples of days after they deceived Jim Tuck the raccoon youngster and attained the flash drive from the lab in Cliffside Asylum. She tried with her laptop countless times. Today was no exception. Her attempt on her computer at police station got no luck too. “The other mammal who possibly knows the password is currently… in coma...” She bit her thumb nail. Her face grew serious.

“Some bun is cranky.” Tod laid a mug on a desk then hugged the doe from the side, rubbing her head frolicsomely. “Stop it, Nick~” She giggled in her buddy’s embrace. “You know you love it~” He teased, petting her head gently. “You know I do...” She beamed but her smile quickly turned to frown.

“What’s wrong? Are you hangry?” Nick asked whether Judy was hungry and angry or not while folding her in his arms. “When you were on top of me back then, you really looked so starved like you can eat a whole fox.” He joshed her about the time **Hybrid** protecting his body at Cliffside Asylum. “Of course not!” Driving him back, she set eyes on the paper nearby a keyboard, picking it up to read.

    _Tadashi Hamada, raccoon dog, a 21-year old college student, his biological parents deceased when he was 11. He presently lives with his 35-year old aunt, Cass Hamada, and his 14-year old brother, Hiro Hamada… Poor tanuki lost his parents at such a young age and now he’s been missing. His aunt and little brother must be worried sick._ Judy could not help but feel sorry for Hamada family.

“Nick… We gotta do something.” Placing the paper back to the same spot, the doe turned to look at the tod. He comprehended what she meant. “We’ve already interviewed a great number of citizens the last few days. Wanna interview some more?” He stroked his chin, engrossed in thought. “Nah. It’ll probably be a waste of time unless we can narrow down the list of interviewees. How about we check security footage again? We might have missed something.” She suggested. “Gotcha~ After you~ Partner.” He took a step back, motioning her to go first with a flick of his wrist.

    Closing the window on computer screen, Rabbit jumped off the chair and plugged out the flash drive, planning to depart for Zootopia Institute Of technology where Tadashi had attended. However, at that moment, “Hopps, Wilde, come over my office.” Knocking on partition wall, Chief Bogo appeared. The duo felt lucky that their superior stopped by when they had already closed the window on the computer. “Yes, sir.” Bunny and fox assented, following Cape Buffalo to his office. The duo assumed visiting university must wait for another time.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mouse.” Bogo, accompanied by his two smaller officer, entered his office, apologizing his guest who sat on a tiny sofa temporarily placed on Bogo’s desk. “It’s okay, pal. Hi there, Wilde, Hopps~ C’mon in~” The business casual male mouse, short slender black with cream face and inky nose, swiveled in the sofa to face the police.

“Pleasure to meet you, Director Mickael Mouse” Standing tall, raising right paw to the side of her head, Judy saluted. Nick saw his partner acting solemn; thus, he imitated her gesture. “Oh! please~ Call me ‘Mickey’~” Mickey blithely beckoned to the cops.

    Mickael or Mickey Mouse is the director of Defense Intelligence Bureau (DIB) which is an independent agency tasked with protecting national security.

    After the moderately proper greeting, rabbit and fox were sharing a seat opposite to Cape Buffalo, as usual, sitting on his chair, which made the mouse position in middle between Chief Bogo and his senior officers. “Great to see y’all are doing well so far~” Despite being in an awkward spot for communicating with everybody in the room, it seemed Mickey did not mind. In fact, it appeared he enjoyed turning around to talk to others. “Why did you call us here, Chief?” Judy asked. Bogo was going to reply. “Ahem! I have a favor to ask~” Mickey interjected. “My agents gathered info about illegal night howler transportation by a major dealer at the warehouse district in Sahara square. And because you two have expertise in night howler related cases, can you help us investigate the case?” Mickey gave the duo a genial grin as he was requesting for assistance.

“Thank you, Director Mouse, for your valuable time to personally ask us. We’re honored. However, we are busy with the missing mammal cases right now.” The doe obliquely refused to help on the case. She was fully aware how important night howler trafficking cases are, yet she could not put Hamada family affair aside. Chief Bogo’s eyes widened. He made hoof signals, telling the bunny to correct herself. “You two can’t take the case huh?” Buck mouse nodded with a thin smile, about facing to talk to the bull. “Next time, don’t heedlessly promise me that your officers definitely can take the case.”

    The pair could not descry what expression Mickey was showing at that point since he turned his back towards them, but judging by Bogo’s uneasy reaction, chief breaking a sweat, the pair presumed it was not so friendly like before…

“Pardon me, Director Mouse. What my partner meant is it’s true that we’re busy with other cases but we don’t mind helping you on night howler transportation case first.” Nick defended, realizing Judy was thinking that solving missing mammal cases was priority; nevertheless, rejecting Mickey Mouse’s request was too risky.

“Is that so?” Mickey questioned before he rotated to face the duo. “Okay then. Aha~ I’m counting on ya~” Chortling, the mouse beamed at rabbit and fox, getting up from the sofa and walking forward. “Now that you’re here. Would you like to grab some food?” Buffalo politely invited his rodent guest. “No Thanks~ I have business to take care of~” Mickey declined, jumping off the edge of the desk to land on Nick’s lap, startling the tod. “Senior officer Wilde, may I borrow your tail?” Mickey begged. Nick was weird out. Before he could respond, the mouse hopped on and slid down fluffy tail to the floor. “Adios~” Director Mickey Mouse left Chief’s office.

“Good grief… What a scary guy...” Hooves on snout,  the bull grumbled. “He touched my tail without my permission...” Nick muttered, furiously wagging his tail.

... .. --.. . / -.. --- . ... -. .----. - / -- .- - - . .-.

“Ever since DIB’s got involved, our jobs have become more and more difficult and tangled… No offense.” Judy vented her frustration. “It’s fine. Although I’m also working under DIB, I’m still the same your ZPD sister-in-arms.” Bengal tigress in tactical gear eased rabbit’s worries. “That’s very sweet of you, Jasmine.” Judy appreciated Jasmine Fangmeyer’s words. Bunny and fox cops, along with a small troop of **SCU** agents, were exposed to the wind and the sun at the warehouse district in Sahara square.

    It is a fact that DIB had operated separately from ZPD. But since **Savage** s mysteriously showed up one year ago, both organizations co-founded Savage Control Unit ( **SCU** ) in order to prevent damage done by **Savage** s and exterminate them. ZPD and DIB had unwillingly cooperated together consistently.

“Hey Fangmeyer, as of lately, have you met Rajah?” Nick mention fellow officer, Jackson Rajah. “Jackson? Not lately.” Jasmine frankly spoke. “He asked after ya~” Nick thought of the previous conversation of his partner and bengal tiger officer he overheard. “Really? I should text him.” Tigress uttered. Nick winked at Judy, making the rabbit roll her eyes. Even she knew what fox tried to pull off.

“How’s the weather, Officer Hopps?” A geared white stallion clopped towards doe and others. “Little bit hot but wind helps cooling off.” Turning to an upcoming bulky horse, the doe answered. “Stay dehydrated” Wearing a fancied handsome smirking face, stallion handed over a bottle of water. “Thank you, Maximus” Judy gladly received the bottle from Maximus the horse, twisting off a bottle cap and then drinking the water. “Oh just call me Max” Whinnying, he persuaded.

“What about my drink, Gee-gee” Tod interfered before stallion’s flirting gaze devoured his partner. “It’s Agent Keaton to you. By the way, I didn’t see you there, fox.” Stallion gave canine an irritated look. “Why you come here?” Tod lift his chin, staring at white horse’s long face.

“Due to the news about **Savage** s often being around this area, DIB assigned us, **SCU** , to assist this mission. If you’d paid more attention to your duty, you wouldn’t have asked this type of questions.” Stallion criticized the fox. “I knew that. What I’m wondering is why you’re here, Maxi? Replacing you with a cardboard stand-in sure will be better.” Nick gibed. “Watch your mouth-” Maximus bent down.

“Stop it, boss” Jasmine buded in between two male mammals, pushing the horse back. Judy dragged Nick away by his tie. “No need to fight. You can share water with me.” She handed him a three-quarters full of water bottle. Maximus witnessed Nick’s mouth in contact with the bottle’s rim which Judy’s lips touched once. Nick lifted one eyebrow, observing the equine furtively. The horse bitterly snorted, glaring at the fox.

“Boss” A goat **SCU** agent having goatee approached Maximus. “We’ve finally found a possibly safe entrance.” He informed. “Noted. Let’s roll.” Maximus ordered.

.--- . .- .-.. --- ..- ... / -- .- .-.. . ...

    Nick and Judy were crawling inside the air ducts connected from outside of the warehouse with tod leading doe. **SCU** team sent the duo to investigate in a depot. He removed an air vent then went down the hole, landing on a floor 15 feet below. Judy soon followed, dropping into arms of her partner who caught bunny falling from ceiling.

    Inside the locked warehouse was pitch-dark. “I barely see anything.” Judy whispered. “Suck to be you, Carrots” Nick kindly put her down to stand on her own two feet. “Shut it, Mr. Night vision.” She joked. “Amazing night vision actually~” He quipped. Nonetheless, his night vision absolutely provides him an advantage when he is in the dark. “Yeah yeah whatever” She began to grope her way.

“Don’t blindly wander around by yourself, Fluff. You’ll trip over. Here. Take my paws.” Nick got behind Judy, her left shoulder blade in light contact with his abdominal surface. He took hold of her paws, raising them high enough that her elbows were slightly lower than her shoulders, his thumbs rubbing the back of her paws. Doe lightly grasped tod’s fingers in both paws. He led the way. The pair stepped with the same foot in the same direction. Their movement acted as a shadow to one another. Albeit rabbit could not see properly in darkness, she was able to follow his lead because of her trust in fox, her buddy.

“Nick…, are you nervous?” Judy quizzed. “No.  Why you think so?” He denied and asked a question in return. Judy was confused by Nick’s response since her sensitive ears caught that Nick’s heartbeat rose.

    When Judy's tiptoe touched the cold metal pipe on the ground, she gasped, breaking the hold, turning to inadvertently hook her arms through Nick’s right arm. “Relax~ It’s just a pipe.” He reassured his partner. Bunny heard fox’s heartbeat becoming faster than earlier, contrary to his laid back tone. She consequently understood what was happening, _It might have something to do with the closer distance between us_ , which caused her to unawarely smile. Nick contemplated Judy’s cute expression. _Do you forgot I still can see, silly bunny?_ He grinned.

    However, their moment was interrupted when Nick noticed couples of glowing pupils. “Carrots… We’ve got company.” He warned. Judy listened carefully, detecting low growl, too fierce to be civilized mammals’. The noise was belonged to none other than **Savage** s.

“Quick Nick! Stay close to me.” Doe bid. “Close enough?” Tod teased her, pointing out that she was clinging to his arm. She released him with embarrassment. “Oy~ Don’t let go, you’re the one who told me to stay close.” Nick rested his right forearm on top of Judy’s head. She was annoyed yet delighted that she was having him near her.

“Anyway, since we’re already alone, shall we?” Judy brought out her **MidniDriver** , black morpher with purple circle core in the middle, maroon bike handle on right side and silver tilted syringe on left side. “100% yes” Nick held his device in left paw. Both put on the belts. He pulled the syringe. “DRAW BLOOD” His blood was drawn into his **driver** ’s syringe then teleported to Judy’s. She pushed her syringe, “INJECT” injecting herself with predator blood. Nick lost consciousness, leaning against Judy. Accordingly, she hugged him firmly. “Transform!” She announced whilst twisting the handle anticlockwise. “IGNITE” The device emitted the gusting purple fog which blew nearby objects away and swallowed the bunny cop.

    **Savage** s screamed at shining **driver** ’s core along with two bright amethyst stylish headlamps. A flamingo red bio armoured rabbit-fox cross, **Hybrid** the hustler form, appeared, still holding a senseless tod tightly in left arm. “Wow! Everything’s so gloomy.” Nick commented, perceiving through Judy’s eyes… literally. “Welcome to my world, Slick.” She humorously remarked. “Well, we can’t fight blindly like this.” He moved **Hybrid** ’s a free right paw to press the syringe, “ ACTIVATE” activating an enhanced night vision. The duo viewed their surroundings as clear as day including a pair of the vicious badger **Savage** s standing on all four close to the wall.

“Weird. Why are these **Savage** s in a confined space?” The doe doubted. Even though this dark warehouse was suitable for naturally nocturnal mammals such as badger, there should be no food or water around here. Furthermore, coming to think of it, it sounded strange that **Savage** s often showed up around this area. “Save questions for later. We ought to deal with those beasts first.” Said the tod.

    The **Savage** s were unable to restrain their instincts compelled by the sudden appearance of **Hybrid** to attack. Judy threw Nick’s body over **Hybrid** ’s shoulder then sprang up before the monsters pounced on them. The armored mixed breed clung to ceilings, stuffing an unconscious tod through the air vent. After hiding the body inside the air ducts, **Hybrid** flipped over and plummeted to the floor, lowering oneself while spinning at great speed, sweeping the leg to kick badgers. They fell sideways. **Hybrid** was crouching. “Let’s dance~” The united duo voiced.

-... .-.. .. -. -.. / ..-. --- .-.. .-.. --- .--

“You hear a noise!? Something’s happening in there!” Maximus asserted. “Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde, do you copy?” Jasmine radioed her police friends quietly. However, nobody replied. “Jude!” She yelled Judy’s nickname at her radio, yet no response. “That’s it! We’re going in! Agents! Take point!” Stallion commanded. A small **SCU** troop took the position to invade the warehouse by smashing steel roll gate with enforcer rams.

    **Hybrid** jerked up long ears when Nick and Judy heard the warehouse’s gate was pounded. _Fudge! We must detransform before_ **_SCU_ ** _found us in this form._ Both knew if mammals found **Hybrid** in shut place, they would probably figure out their secret identities. One of the badger **Savage** s leapt on an armored fusion. The doe fell backward, planting a foot on the monster’s stomach, rolling onto the back, shoving it away. It flipped over. **Hybrid** kicked up to stand, watching a holed gate. Light passed through the holes, blinding the nocturnal monsters. They moved away from **Hybrid** , retreating to the dark.

“Oh drat! **Savage** s gonna stay away from us now.” Nick exclaimed. The hustler form was most suitable for close combat. The pair would be at a disadvantage in medium-to-long range battle. “We haven’t investigated this area yet. We can’t shoot them with a gun.” Judy analyzed. Police form’s weapon might cause too much destruction. “Maybe shooting them with arrows?” He proposed, which she agreed.

 **Hybrid** twisted the **MidniDriver** ’s handle clockwise... twice. “ FORM SHIFT-ARCHER” The device spoke robotically, releasing purple mist covering **Hybrid** whose armor gaps steamed simultaneously. The core and the headlamp eyes brightened. **Hybrid** pivoted around to clear the haze, revealing the another form, flamingo red rabbit doe mixed with fox’s characteristic, charcoal mark on face similar to masquerade eye mask, green leather coating the body which resembled tunic, a hood with a red feather in it, brown lower half, green metallic shoes, **Hybrid** Archer form.

    The duo wasted no time, pushing the syringe, “ACTIVATE” summoning a bow in the left paw. An arrow was produced from the right wrist. **Hybrid** drew a bow’s string back. The ends of bow stick were flexed. When the string was let go, the arrow flew to one badger’s knee.

The other badger mindlessly charged at **Hybrid** who pressed the syringe again, “ ACTIVATE” bringing up a gladius sword in right paw to slash the approaching threat. It was flung aside. **Hybrid** changed the way of grabbing the sword and drew the string to shoot sword like an arrow at the slashed badger. Its thorax was pierced by the sword. The peculiar arrow and sword electrocuted **Savage** s, temporarily paralyzing the monsters to make them so harmless that **SCU** could easily slay them. The shot arrow and the sword gradually vanished. The duo did not finish off these creatures because they wanted to set up a scene which was believable enough in order to trick **SCU** not to suspect them.

“Okie dokie~ Not quite a fan of this form though~ Too many drawbacks~” Nick punned. “Who’s over there!?” Making a new arrow from the wrist, Judy fired an arrow towards the moving shadows. Nick processed the things visually discerned, shadow-figures of young bear, fox, rabbit, raccoon and skunk. He was shocked. “Judy! Stop! Those are mammals!” He tried to prevent **Hybrid** from hurting the normal teenage mammals that somehow were in the warehouse. Unfortunately, the arrow had already been discharged at one of them.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 16/02/18: Howdy Folks~ Belated happy Valentine's day~ And thank you for reading this fanfic series. Please feel free to leave comments or feedback. I would love to know~ While I was writing this chapter, I paused on many occasions and went like "Wait... why does it sound kinda wrong!?" Ha ha. Moreover, I think I'll post new chapter next Friday and I'm not sure after next week, I'll be able to post more chapters continuously. Whatever will be, will be~ Until next time~ Have a magical day!  
> 22/02/18: Because of many emergencies lately, I won't be able to finish editing the next chapter in time for this Friday. Therefore, I'm here to inform that the next chapter will be delayed. I'm sorry...


	5. Cyonids

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

 **Judy** : We can’t access the data in flash drive we’re “borrowing” from the lab in asylum. Moreover, our investigation on the case of Tadashi Hamada’s disappearance got interrupted by Director Mouse.

 **Nick** : He asked us to help investigating the warehouse district where illegal night howler transportation may be conducted. And how could we refuse? He’s the director of DIB for crying out loud!

 **Judy** : Nick and I sneaked into one of the closed warehouses then we met Savages. But no worries. Hybrid easily took care of them.

 **Nick** : Night howler trafficking cases, missing mammal cases and mystery of Cliffside Asylum. Gah! So many troubles. I gonna faint…

 **Judy** : Haven’t you always fainted?

 **Nick** : Fainting from transformation doesn’t count, Fluff.

 **Judy** : Let’s find out what’ll happen next in this chapter.

 **Nick & Judy**: Now the chapter 5!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

“Judy! Stop! Those are mammals!” Nick attempted to prevent **Hybrid** Archer form from shooting an arrow towards teenagers. However, it was too late. The arrow had already been launched from a bow.

“Calm down, Nick.” Judy confidently told him. The shaft dematerialized on its own. An arrowhead traveled through the air, then attached to one of the teens’ shirt. He was relieved that his partner did not fire a lethal arrow but a tracking device. He would hate to see her accidentally take away mammals’ lives.

“Officer Hopps!” Maximus Keaton the white stallion called to Judy from outside the warehouse. The **SCU** agents were breaking a storefront gate in order to enter the locked place. “That’s our cue to leave.” Nick twisted **MidniDriver** ’s handle forth two times. “ FORM SHIFT-HUSTLER ” Letting out dense steam, **Hybrid** turned back to Hustler form, pressing the syringe “  ACTIVATE  ” to activate an instant movement ability to disappear into thin air.

    After being able to getting in, **SCU** team primarily found two badger **Savage** s rising up and recovering from injury. “Alert! 2 o’clock, 11 o’clock! Fire!” Maximus commanded. The half of the agents turned right and the other half slightly turned left. The troop shot the rifles at the monsters. The badgers tried to escape, yet the attempt failed. Bullet after bullet penetrated them, exploding inside the bodies.

    Even though **Savage** s don’t die from blood loss since they don’t bleed, the bullets’ fragments produced by a special caustic substance could burn the monsters’ organic tissue. Badger monsters collapsed, vaporizing as they were perishing.

    Later on, white horse looked for rabbit and fox cops. “Where are they!? Agents! Find police officers! Quick!” He ordered. “Boss. A side door was just left open. There must be someone who’s recently exited through that door.” A goateed peru tan goat billy informed the stallion. Because their assigned task was to assist the night howler transportation case, they were supposed to concern more about a clue of the case, still... Maximus hesitated a moment.  Seeing that, the billy was about to suggest. “Should we-”

“Didn’t you hear me!? Find those officers first!” Maximus snapped at his agent. “B-But th-the mammal-” The goat stammered. “I’ll handle this.” The horse went after the suspect(s), heading out the same door.

 **SCU** agents scattered to search for ZPD officers. Jasmine Fangmeyer the bengal tiger charged out of the storehouse, “Jude! Wilde!” shouting to her friends. Running, she turned around the corner. “Hey Fangmeyer.” Nick the red fox called the tigress. Meanwhile, his partner, Judy the grey rabbit, was getting out of the outdoor air vent that Nick was standing near. “Wilde! Jude! Are you two alright?” Jasmine rushed towards the duo. “We are.” Judy said, receiving a help from Nick and Jasmine. They lifted the doe down, aiding her to stand on her feet. “Thank you” Judy thanked both of her friends.

    When the duo used an instant movement skill earlier, **Hybrid** relocated into the air ducts in which they hid Nick’s unconscious body. **Hybrid** detransformed. The bio armor released purple steam filling such a cramped space prior to its vanishing. Doe reversed to an original state with her uniform being intact. Tod’s mind was transferred back to his body then he led her a way out to where they ended up meeting Jasmine.

“Gosh darnit! I missed them.” Maximus referred to the suspects as them because he did not know what gender the suspect was or how many the suspects were. He had been galloping around the warehouse to catch the suspects. However, he was unable to find them. When he spotted two cops and his feline agent, “Thanks gol! You both are safe.” he exclaimed with relief, ambling towards them.

“Sorry that we blew the plan up.” Nick apologized though it clearly was not their fault that something beyond expectation occurred and interfered the investigation. “What happened?”Jasmine quizzed. “As Nick and I were inspecting inside the warehouse, we met **Savage** s.” Judy answered. “We shot them injured enough to buy us some time to climb up a stack of boxes and escape through the air ducts.” Nick gave a half true half false statement.

“Why didn’t you radio when you encountered **Savage** s?” Maximus questioned in rebuking tone. “I deeply apologize.” Judy spoke guiltily, truly feeling bad for causing others to worry, yet she did not regret what she and Nick had done. She believed fighting against **Savage** s was a right thing. “Na-Not you, Officer Hopps.” The stallion hurriedly rectified the doe’s thought of him criticizing her. “I mean you, fox. Despite your night vision, you failed to perform the task efficiently, not contacted us, and put yourself and her in danger!” He scolded the impassive tod. “Nick was busy watching over me who cannot see in the dark. I’m the one who should be blamed.” The doe justified Nick, who delighted in how protective his bunny partner was.

    Maximus sighed, not bothered to argue about this subject anymore although he was the one bringing it up. “Whatever… Anyway, it seems that there was somebody who’s just fled from this warehouse. Unfortunately, we dunno where they are now.” He stroked his blond mane with frustration. “Judy and I got this. No problem. Leave the rest to us~” Nick asserted, his arm around Judy’s shoulder. Jasmine adored the pair’s gesture. _They really are close huh?_ Folding his arms, Maximus averted his eyes.

\--. . - / .--- . .- .-.. --- ..- ...

“Think we lost them.” An adolescent boar bear gasped for breath. A gang of young mammals; bear, fox, rabbit, raccoon and skunk, came to a halt after dashing away for a while, lying low in a narrow alley. A skunk lad, youngest-looking in the group, looked back. “Nobody’s following us. We should be okay for now.” He assured of their safety. However, little did they know, **Hybrid** Archer form, next to a sprawling tod officer, was upright on a moderately tall building, a gaze on the raccoon teen.

    This form of **Hybrid** ’s monitor tracked down the tracking device, so the duo were able to locate their targets. Nick generated an arrow, a fletching of which was connected with a wire. He fired the arrow down. The wire kept coming out from a wrist before stopping when an arrow’s tip stuck in the sidewall of the other building at around a store above a road level. **Hybrid** , making a bow vanish, kneeled to attach the end of the wire rope on the wrist to a rooftop floor. Subsequently, the armored cross breed lifted a motionless canine body to carry him in arms and then slid down the rope with the feet on the wire.

“What now?” A rabbit, somewhat second youngest-looking, wondered. “All we can do now is waiting for **his** call.” A fox, apparently the oldest among five of them, cleared the young buck’s doubt. A teen raccoon hunched his shoulders, staring his feet with watery eyes. “It’s gonna be fine, Roll. We’ll get Jim back.” The bear soothed his little friend, petting the raccoon’s back.

“Freeze!” A feminine bawl loudened. The police officers, rabbit and fox, were blocking both sides of the alley. The sudden arrival of police shocked the youngsters, particularly the boar raccoon wiping his eyes hastily. “You said no one followed us!” Teen fox yelled at the skunk, who “Impossible! I didn’t see them coming!” was dazed.

    Nick picked up his radio. “Officer Wilde to dispatch. We got a 10-15. Send backup to capture suspects to the station. Thanks in advance~” He communicated with ZPD by the radio.

“Psst! Guys… We’ll run past that bunny cop under my signal.” Fox lad spoke softly, guessing he as well as his gang would be able to overcome the doe rabbit’s guard easier than full grown adult fox’s. In addition, since they were minors, police would not treat them roughly. “Go!” He uttered. The teenagers charged off towards Judy’s direction. Whilst the young fox was getting close to the doe, about to push her off, he flopped weakly. The rest of the gang came to an abrupt halt when they noticed the oldest mammal among them shot by a tranquilizer dart.

“You kids should stay put and behave well. Other officers will come to pick you all up soon.” Judy advised, holding a tranq gun in her paws. “Better listen to her warning, kiddos.” Nick supported. While the duo were observing the mammal lads, “Hang on a sec! Are you five the film crew that tried to get into Cliffside Asylum?” the doe recognized their outward aspects which were identical to those of camera crew both cops found on a day they were assigned on parking duty.

    The teenagers remained silent, still afraid that they might end up in the same fate as their fox comrade. “That wasn’t a rhetorical question, y’know? You are that film crew, aren’t you?” Judy repeated the question, frightening the bear. “Please don’t put us behind bars! We merely pretended we were making a documentary to distract a guard!” He freaked out. “Ed!!” Rabbit and skunk lads shouted the bear’s name reproachfully in unison. “S-sorry...” Ed apologized for blurting out the secret.

    Nick’s attention was later caught by a familiar looking raccoon. “My my~ Nice to meet you again, Jim boy~” He bobbed his head at the raccoon. “You know Jim?” A rabbit buck bewilderedly turned to goggle at the fox officer, who eventually started to note that in spite of identical physical characteristics and wearing the same black jacket, there was something off about the teenage boar raccoon.

    Shortly thereafter, the raccoon faced round and took a few steps to Nick. “Please let us go! You don’t understand! We must help Jim!” He pleaded. “Wow wow. You’re not Jim?” Nick was baffled briefly before the teen raccoon resolved his confusion. “I’m Jim’s brother.”

“What’s your name, young boar?” Judy inquired in tender tone. “Name is James but call me ‘Roll’.” Turning sideways, Roll the raccoon replied. It turned out Nick mistook Roll for Jim Tuck, Roll’s twin brother. “Roll... ” The bunny cop felt vaguely weird after calling James ‘Roll’. Nonetheless, she did not wish to offend him; thus, she went with this nickname. “You said you must help your brother… What happened to him?” She asked.

    The teenagers murmured, arguing among themselves. “I implore you… cooperate with us… We can help.” Judy begged earnestly, which made them want to believe in the duo.

“First, why did you put on an act like that at a gate of the asylum back then?” Nick interrogated the youngsters. “We were hired to trick a gate guard and send one of us to sneak into the building. Jim was the one that volunteered to trespass on...” Roll confessed. “You let him go in!? Jim could get killed by **Savage** at that time!” The doe chided the lads. “Hired by who?” Nick proceeded with interrogation. He had already known Jim intruded on Cliffside Asylum lab to steal the flash drive, yet he got no idea who he along with his friends and sibling worked for.

“John Silver...” Buck rabbit said the name which stunned an adult tod. On the other paw, Judy had never heard this name before. She thought of asking her partner later. “And what were you doing in that warehouse?” She took turns questioning the teens. “When we heard the noise of **Savage** s fighting, Mr. Silver ordered us… If we had lured the intruders out, he would have freed Jim.” Ed explained. _That rotter used these kids as a decoy… sent them to go through a dangerous room where there were_ **_Savage_** _s._ Judy cursed John Silver, a mammal that she did not even know what species he is, in her mind. “Where is Jim now?” The doe asked for the raccoon’s location. Jim’s twin brother, Roll, shaked his head, then the skunk responded. “No clue… He’s been separated from us for long...”

    Judy tensed up, musing over all information. Roll’s eyes thereupon watered. “Can you… really help finding my brother?” His lips quivered. The doe, also growing up with siblings, inevitably had sympathy for him. “We will find him. You have my word.” She promised the teenage mammals with a benevolent smile. “So~ We’re good to go now?” Ed the bear assumed, grinning awkwardly. “Sorry bud. You still are under arrest.” The tod officer burst Ed’s bubble. Following that, a driving car, possibly police’s, sound was approaching them. “Aww, noodles...” The adolescent bear whined. At the same time, the skunk hunkered down near his collapsed fox friend. “Didn’t see it coming, did ya?” He poked the limp snoring canine.

-.- .. -.. -. .- .--. .--. . -..

    Later that day, “Who is John Silver?” After escorting the group of young mammals to ZPD station for the purpose of further investigation besides protecting them from threats out there because criminals may still be on to the teens, Judy seized an opportunity to inquire Nick about mysterious mammal’s identity when the duo returned to their office. “A crime lord” His answer horrified her. To think that a criminal leader abused minors was unnerving. “I don’t know him personally. I’ve just heard Mr. Big mentioned his name few times. Something along the lines of Silver being a key player in an illegal Night howler business.” Nick provided more details with reference to Mr. Big, the infamous mafia boss arctic shrew in Tundra.

“Umm… He also kidnapped Jim Tuck. Can it be… John Silver and his gang are involved in the missing mammal cases?” The doe was digesting information. “Maybe...” The tod reflected. The frowning bunny pinched the bridge of her snout. Judy’s eyes shut tight. Suddenly, she was snapped out of her own thoughts by a generous hug from Nick. “There, there, Carrots. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” He comforted his partner. She was a bit ashamed that she consistently needed the tod to keep her emotion in check, whether she would like to admit it or not, yet she was contented to have him by her side through thick and thin.

“Thanks, Nick.” Judy expressed her gratitude. “What can I say except-” Nick was going to croon a ‘your welcome’ part. However, his stomach growled so loud as if a thunder struck. “Except you’re hungry?” She teased her partner, patting his tummy. Nick subsequently loosed his hold on Judy. “Shall we go get some grub? I mean the army marches on its stomach right?” The tod suggested. Excluding his hunger, he desired the bunny to get time off, so this was a decent chance for persuading her to take a break. “Let’s hit the road.” Judy, walking off, accepted a suggestion, beckoning Nick to follow her. “Shotgun!” Nick enthusiastically vociferated. “Alright, Alright~ I’ll drive.” The doe shook her head in amusement.

    After the pair bought a fish & ships accompanied by a short cup of tea for predator and a carrot berry smoothie for prey from a drive-through restaurant, they sat in a parking police cruiser on a back lane between buildings and viewed a sight of sunset. While drinking the smoothie, Judy gazed at Nick eating his meal. The tod eventually noticed his partner’s stare. “Is there anything on my face? Apart from my charm of course~” Nick smirked at Judy. “Oh~ Nothing but narcissism.” She joshed, causing him to chuckle and continue digging his food.

    Judy sniffed the fish n chips’ smell. She conveyed her curiosity afterwards. “Nick, may I have one fry?” Placing the smoothie in a cup holder, the doe requested. The tod consequently came up with a mischievous idea. “Sure~ Just this one.” He picked a fry up to hold its tip in his muzzle, turning his face to playfully look at the bunny who was about to grab it from between fox’s lips. “A-a-ah~ No hand~” Biting one tip of the fry, he relished every moment of teasing his friend, anticipating an embarrassing reaction. Nevertheless, “Okay” She responded innocently.

    The bunny cop knelt on a driver seat, leaning forward to the fox. He became anxious under his smug mask due to an unexpected action. When Judy’s nose almost came to contact with his, Nick’s jaw twitched, resulting in him unintentionally nipping fry’s tip off. The bitten food accordingly fell. Luckily, Judy caught it mid-air. She leaned backward, returning to a sitting position, and then threw it into her mouth. Chortling, Nick resumed munching his meal as Judy was enjoying the fry offered by her buddy. It was different from what she had ever eaten before. Its taste was combined by a unique scent, a scent of fish meat…

    Abruptly, there were some mammals hurtling past the back lane that the duo were in, which was followed by gunshot noise and menacing roar. Judy immediately realized what was happening.

“Nick!” Doe called tod, drawing out **MidniDriver**. “Nah-a! I’m not going.” Said the fox seriously. He laid back in the passenger seat. “It’s **Savage**!” She stressed in order to change his mind. “I’m fully aware of that. Since we will transform anyway, I’d rather stay here than fall unconscious while standing on a battleground.” Nick stood by his decision, putting on his **Midnidriver**. “Grr! Whatever suits you.” Judy exited the cruiser, wearing a morpher belt. She left Nick in the car.

    Meanwhile, a **SCU** patrol team, consisting of 2 wolves, a wild boar and 3 panthers with less bulky tactical gears than those of a normal **SCU** troop, were defending the civilians from various **Savage** s, a rough armored rhino, a wing-eared deer, a she-cheetah and a tanuki, by shooting rifles at them. The team manageably killed a cervine monster. However, they missed an agile feline. Furthermore, bullets bounced off rhino’s hard shell, which started to fracture from impact but if those armed mammals only focused on defeating the rhino, they would not have had enough rifle cartridges to take down other **Savage** s. As for the tanuki, it was hiding behind the rhino.

“We’re running out of ammo soon! Поторопись!” Bringing a radio close to his snout, a wild boar rushed the **SCU** main troop to reinforce his patrol team in the area. He felt so agitated that he negligently spoke his first language.

    Instantly, behind the **SCU** agents, an old coati tripped when she struggled to flee from a battlefield. “Yaya!” A coati boy halted. Before he could retrace to his grandmother, “Don’t go back!” a familiar big spotted cat in blue detained the kid while thinking of rescuing the senior lady by himself but the boy pushed him away and hastened towards an elder. The plump cheetah had no choice except accompanying the junior coati. Both helped up boy’s grandmother.

    All at once, the cheetah **Savage** swiftly detoured around **SCU** . The agents were going to shoot she-cheetah. However, tanuki **Savage** also made a move, climbing on the rhino’s back and hurdling the **SCU** team. The agents hesitated momentarily over which beasts they should strike first, thereby not counter-attacking in time. Cheetah **Savage** was aiming for the coatis and unarmed feline cop.

 _Clawhauser!? What is he doing here!?_ Judy distinguished her chubby friend from a distance. _Never mind that now._ The doe’s attention was drawn by the racing cheetah **Savage**. Even though Clawhauser is also a cheetah, he could definitely not outrun the monster. Besides, there were civilians in danger. Therefore, she hared to the rescue.

    While no one was watching her, she “INJECT” injected blood that had already been sent from Nick into herself and then “IGNITE” transformed to a fusion of fox and rabbit. Right after the cop duo became **Hybrid** , they wasted no time “ACTIVATE” to trigger an incredible speed. A red flamingo torpedo with amethyst blurry light on the sides darted across the area to thrust she-cheetah aside before it could harm any mammals.

“Can you move, Ma’am?” Nick asked an old coati concernedly. **Hybrid** stood tall in front of Clawhauser and coatis, who were stunned from an appearance of the armour-clad bunny with female body type but having a soft-spoken male voice and spiky yet fluffy fox tail. They got a grip when **Hybrid** stooped down to help the elderly lady up. “Leave. Quick!” Clawhauser led the coatis to skedaddled as they were told by the mixed breed.

    In the meantime, the **SCU** patrol team, astounded too, used the opportunity to fire the rifles at she-cheetah while it was being down on the ground defenselessly. However, they were interrupted by the rhino **Savage** charging towards them. The team split to dodge an attack; hence, the shots only scrape the feline monster. **SCU** agents were forced to deal with the rhino first.

“Yeow!” Tod screeched. **Hybrid** had just got bit on a tail by the tanuki **Savage** . It repeatedly yanked the tail. “Don’t touch my tail!” Nick aggressively pressed **MidniDriver** ’s syringe. “  ACTIVATE  ” Tail spikes pointed outward, lengthening and sharpening to pierce through the tanuki. **Hybrid** waved the tail to fling the riddled monster off. “Didn’t know you dislike to be touched on tail this much.” Judy surprisedly discovered physical contact with her partner’s tail can offend him considerably. “I reserve a right to my brush for the special mammal, Fluff” He stated humorously.

    Soon later, the duo perceived that Clawhauser and two civilians could not move far and fast enough since evidently, the senior coati was injured when she tripped earlier. Subsequently, the united cops decided to twist the morpher’s handle forth “FORM SHIFT-POLICE”, turning to a combination of leporine and canine with body’s colors and accessories such as armlets, vest and hat similar to ZPD uniform, **Hybrid** police form. **Hybrid** pressed the syringe twice. “  ACT-ACTIVATE  ” A long-chained handcuffs magically materialized. **Hybrid** grabbed the chain on the way to preserve the cheetah and the coatis from menaces, the **Savage** s, which got back up and ready to charge.

.--. .-. --- -.-. -.-- --- -. .. -.. .- .

    Concurrently, few mammals roaming the streets in Savanna Central attended to a loud sound of a siren. They caught a glimpse of a driverless hatchback sports car zooming down the road. The black car with white doors plus a pair of sirens twisted and turned through the city, then finally reached where **Hybrid** was protecting the police officer, the boy and the elder by whipping the chain around to keep she-cheetah and takuni **Savage** s away. It seemed previous assaults were inadequate to finish off these beasts. The vehicle’s arrival startled the coatis, who were already perplexed owing to being around the strange armored mammal.

“It’s here. Fantastic.” Judy rejoiced sotto voce. She swung one of the handcuffs to bind the takuni in chain. Next, it was hurled to smash into the nearby she-cheetah.

“Please get in a car. Hurry!” Nick requested Clawhauser and both of coatis. The feline officer estimated that trusting the cross-breed was the smartest choice, so he guided the two civilians to the sports car. All three hid themselves inside it. “Now that they’re safe. Let’s go all out.” The doe pulled the chain sharply, resulting in the takuni flying towards **Hybrid**. She held the handcuff in the right paw like brass knuckles, landing a straight right punch at takuni’s face. Tanuki **Savage** trembled as the blow sent shockwave through its body, affecting its partly healed wounds. The struck monster eventually vaporized, which loosened the chain.

    **Hybrid** ’s chain contracted to an appropriate size for the duo to obstruct a she-cheetah’s forthcoming attack. **Hybrid** stretched the chain in order to block monster’s claws and fangs, then jumped into somersault over the she-cheetah while handcuffing the **Savage** ’s front left carpus and extending the chain to tie the monster up. **Hybrid** landed behind it, handcuffed its back right ankle and hauled the middle of the chain to bind it. She-cheetah **Savage** , handcuffed legs being tied together, thereupon lost its balance and tumbled over.

    During the time that **SCU** patrol team were busy dealing with the rhino, some darted a glance at the beast, which **Hybrid** was restraining. They snatched the opportunity to shoot the she-cheetah down.

    The other **Savage** vaporized as it ceased to exist. **Hybrid** turned to a direction where the bullets were fired, discerning that the **SCU** agents were really occupied with the tough rhino. Although its hard outer case had fractured thanks to agents’ effort, Nick and Judy assumed such a small group of **SCU** agents might use ammunition up before they could beat the armored monster; hence, **Hybrid** “  ACTIVATE  ” summoned a black Automag with purple cylinder and auburn grip, replacing handcuffs that disappeared in thin air.

    The doe spun the cylinder, causing the sparks to fly out. “Get down!” The duo bawled. **SCU** team lay prone by reflex. **Hybrid** pointed the pistol at the rhino. A shining tiny bomb discharged from a firearm muzzle to the large **Savage**. It exploded once it touched rhino’s forehead, which made the **Savage** ’s shell shatter. When rhino’s bare face was exposed, the boar **SCU** agent, still lying on the ground, shot bullets right through its skull. As a result, rhino **Savage** collapsed, slowly turning motionless. After another monster finally vaporized, the armed boar, wolves and panthers stood up.

    Seeing that all **Savage** s were annihilated, Nick tossed the pistol upward. It disintegrated into sparkles. “All clear now.” He opened the car’s door to let the coatis out. “Muchas gracias.” The elderly lady thanked the peculiar mixed-species mammal. The boy, holding a smartphone, stepped out of the car along with his grandmother when Clawhauser got off a front passenger seat, then shut the door gently.

“Stop!” **Hybrid** was ordered by the boar from behind. Every **SCU** agents were ordered if they encountered **Hybrid** , they must capture him or her… or it. Therefore, the patrol team turned their rifles on **Hybrid** . “I would love to hang around~” Nick responded cheerily while closing the car’s door. “But gotta dash~” He told the team blithely as **Hybrid** rapidly entered the black and white vehicle. The hatchback sports car departed hastily before any agents could act properly. “Слéдуйте за мной!” The boar commanded his team to follow him. They ran to get in **SCU** van.

    The duo stealthily observed the van driven by the boar to pursue the sports car from the back lane between buildings where they parked their cruiser which Nick’s senseless body was in. Actually, **Hybrid** hopped off the car when it passed the back lane. To put it simply, the patrol team were chasing a empty car that they could not catch up with it patently because of excessive speed of **Hybrid** ’s vehicle. The doe pulled the syringe once she was certain nobody was looking at **Hybrid**. Her blood was drawn and teleported to tod’s syringe. She detransformed into her normal self in undamaged clothes.

“Transforming 3 times in one day… I gonna faint...” The first few words Judy heard after getting in the cruiser were weary complaining from Nick whose mind was back in place where it belongs. He exhaustedly pushed the syringe to get rid of extreme tiredness he was experiencing. When the blood was injected into him, he regained his strength. “Didn’t you just wake up?” Judy tittered. She started an engine, driving the cruiser off.

    Some time later, when the pair almost arrived at ZPD, Nick’s stomach rumbled and his mouth watered whilst his eyes were fixed on his bunny partner…

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 04/03/18: Howdy Folks~ I’ve been busy lately and still be until around the end of this month but if things go wrong or unexpected… I’ll be inconvenient next month as well. At least for now, I can say that the series will be back on the fourth week of March in case everything goes as planned. Until next time~ Have magical days~  
> : I’ve just realized that when I wrote 'twist the handle clockwise or anti-clockwise', it might have different meaning from what I expect. What words I should use when one talking about twisting the motorcycle handle? back and forth?  
> : I didn’t want to use the word ‘kill’ for some reasons, then I remembered that Judy even said the word ‘kill’ in the movie. ha ha  
> : PS. Anyone please tell whether I used the correct 10 codes or not? I will appreciate your help so much.


	6. Communication

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

 **Judy** : It turned out the Night Howler investigation mission that Director Mouse asked us to assist with led us to an essential clue in missing mammal cases, John Silver.

 **Nick** : Must say it’s a blessing in disguise.

 **Judy** : Oh! Besides, In the last chapter, Nick and I joined forces with **SCU** patrol team to protect Clawhauser and other civilians from **Savage** s, not to mention defeat them.

 **Nick** : Pretty confident that I alone could beat all those monsters.

 **Judy** : Ahem!

 **Nick** : “We” could~

 **Judy** : We even put all three of the **Hybrid** ’s forms on display. Hustler, Police and Archer form.

 **Nick** : Hustler form’s color scheme is the best among them paws down.

 **Judy** : Isn’t it just the same colors as your casual look? Light green, grayish-tan, kinda red.

 **Nick** : Exactly~ That’s why this form is downright stylish~

 **Judy** : I’m glad that our armor doesn’t replicate hawaiian pattern. Anyway, we’d better get back to work.

 **Nick** : Right. I hope no one will interrupt us again.

 **Judy** : Don’t jinx ourselves!

 **Nick** : Now the chapter 6~

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    On their way back to the Zootopia Police Department, as they almost arrived at their station, Nick could not help but gaze upon his prey partner, Judy, who was driving a cruiser. He salivated when his stomach grumbled loudly.

“Still hungry? Haven’t you just eaten?” Doe’s words caught a tod off guard.

The startled fox officer wiped his mouth swiftly with uniform sleeve. “I suppose **Hybrid** transformation burned more calories than I estimated.” He defended his tummy growling noise.

“Though you slept the whole time?” Bunny teased her canine buddy despite her awareness that technically, while being **Hybrid** , Nick’s brain might still function similar to when he was awake. It was just that he was not in control of his body. Therefore, it looked sort of like he passed out into deep sleep.

    Finally, both reached a parking lot outside ZPD. Judy and Nick left the car respectively. Subsequently, she instantly remembered what Nick told her in the past that he always felt drained after detransformation. Furthermore, they morphed several times in merely one day. As a result, Judy thought her partner maybe too tired to continue working for now.

Watching orange sky sunset, “It’s already late, so how about we file the papers before heading home?” Judy proposed, pressing a car key to lock the cruiser.

“Ah” Nick responded, placing his right paw on his stomach confusedly. _That was strange…_

.--. .-. . -.. .- - --- .-. -.-- / .... ..- -. --. . .-.

    The next morning, in spite of his usual ‘hard to be read’ smirking expression and laid-back gesture, the only one fox officer in the main police force seemed a little bit chirpy. This probably had to do with the fact that the following day would be Judy’s and his day off, which was rather like children looking forward to weekends.

The duo came across one another at front of Precinct 1 station, then they walked through the gate together and the very first thing they saw was many mammals gathering around a reception desk.

“Did you get injured?”

“We heard you ran into **Savage** s at close range.”

“Are you hurt?”

    Various officers asked Clawhauser the cheetah questions simultaneously. Hence, the chubby big cat became baffled, unable to reply appropriately. “I-I-I’m al-...” He got alarmed by his cow elephant friend who leaned against the desk while inspecting him. “-right.” He completed his sentence awkwardly.

“Are you really alright?” A male dark brown timber wolf shoved his way through a crowd.

“Yep. I’ve already texted you back that I’m safe and sound. No need to undergo such trouble, dragging yourself to here, Wolford.” Clawhauser turned to the wolf wearing military trousers and an army green t-shirt with **SCU** logo.

Nick and Judy went near the desk. Afterward, they noticed a familiar white-muzzled face which belonged to none other than Wolford, a former ZPD police officer, currently a member in **SCU** patrol team.  He was one of the officers transferred to **Savage** Control Unit, just like Jasmine Fangmeyer. Moreover, thinking about it, it must be him as well as the rest of patrol team whom rabbit and fox (as **Hybrid** ) encountered a day before. The doe reckoned that the wolf was fairly unrecognizable when he put on tactical gear along with a helmet.

“Well, I still wanna meet you in the flesh to make sure… Y’know, I don’t wish to see anything bad happening to my comrades again.” Wolford laid his one paw on Clawhauser’s table. His blue eyes expressed concern.

“I’m fine~ Relax~” The cheetah smiled genuinely at his canine friend.

“Okay, it’s good to see you alive and kicking as alway-.” Wolford’s mobile phone in his trousers’ pocket buzzed abruptly once, which caused him to perk the pointy ears. “Excuse me.” He drew out his phone, only to huff with distaste when he checked text message. “Humph… Sorry. I gotta head off to my base. See ya later, pal.” He then pushed his way out of the crowd and left the building in a rush.

“Guys, thank you all for your concern. I really appreciate it. But please don’t worry.” Clawhauser calmed fellow officers.

After the cheetah’s colleagues, who were standing around the reception table, exchanged looks, nodding in assent, most of them stepped aside to let a burly pinkish-gray rhino having a tall horn and a pink hippo with noticeable two square-shaped teeth present Clawhauser with the boxes of donuts, which the spotted large cat received them gleefully. The officers wished him luck before going back to work.

“Glad to see you unharmed.” Said Judy tenderly. Nick saluted mockingly while she was waving her paw to get Clawhauser’s attention.

“Hi you two~” He greeted the duo back tiredly yet contentedly as they were approaching him.

“Busy day huh?” Nick inquired in jest, which made Clawhauser start to whine. “Totally. I’m overjoyed that everybody cares about me so much but I mean! My phone has been buzzing as if it’s a vibra-” It seemed like his mobile phone interrupted his talk as he brought it up. “Take a look...” He showed the fox and the rabbit a phone screen displaying Furbook Messenger app full of chat notifications.

    Both did not want to intrude on cheetah’s privacy. However, their curiosity compelled them to peek at his text chats. They perceived that a lot of accounts had sent tons of messages to him, even spotting the messages from Fangmeyer and Rajah. Many unquestionably cared for him.

“Ahh, by the way, why were you there back then?” Nick wondered what the reason behind Clawhauser’s presence in the middle of city during **Savage** s’ attack was. Following that, the big cat scratch his cheek lightly prior to giving an answer. “I went out to buy some sweet snacks. I have a serious sweet tooth, don’t I.” Blushing, he chuckled.

    At the moment cheetah’s eyes darted to right, he popped up out of his seat. “Good morning, Chief!” Doe and tod twisted their heads to the same direction that the feline fellow was looking. “How have you been, Sir?” The tod addressed Chief Bogo formally despite the usual smirk.

“I have to go out for running an errand. Clawhauser, in the meantime, handle the documents.” Chief Bogo informed in stern tone as he walked past the reception desk. Clawhauser’s eyes followed the chief’s movement. He held feline ears back, tail tucked, which made Judy ponder what caused him a sudden expression shift. She was about to utter a question but… “Wilde, Hopps. Do me a favor and take care of numerous cases.” Bogo continued ,then exited through the gate.

The cheetah changed a frown to a smile quickly. “Oh! That reminds me! I’ve prepared CCTV video files for you. They might be useful, I hope. You two can log in the system to watch them right away.” He leaned across the desk. His tail curved like a question mark.

“Those’re what we need! Thanks a lot! Hurry, Nick!” Eager to resume investigation, Judy towed her partner along by a necktie. Nick glanced back at Clawhauser briefly, catching a glimpse of his smile fading away.

..-. . . .-.. .. -. --. / .... ..- .-. -

“Found anything yet?” The tod asked. He was using his paw to support his head while fast-forwarding the CCTV clips played on his office computer.

“Not exactly… Even though we have already narrowed down somewhat helpful footage, it’s still like looking for a needle in a haystack.” The doe was absorbed in finding clues.

    The pair had been spending the whole morning in their cubicle, just sitting on chairs next to each other in front of their individual work computers. If the missing mammal cases were connected with Night Howler dealers, rabbit and fox officers who were experts in this illegal plant related cases should be able to discover the clues straightforwardly, but even so they could not. _As expected from the crime lord, I suppose. He would leave no obvious trace for sure._ Still convinced that John Silver involved in these cases ,the doe reasoned while checking the moderate amount of recorded footage in and around the area of Zootopia Institute of Technology where Tadashi Hamada, one of the missing mammals, was seen the last time. It was evident that multiple testimonies corresponded to CCTV clips indicating that Tadashi had possibly remained in Campus the entire time before he went missing. One of the evidences was his motorbike left nearby his lab just like his brother, Hiro, said.

    Whilst Judy was busy rewatching the footage over and over, Nick suddenly “Carrots! Take a look.” called to her, so she moved closer to her partner along with her office chair.

Judy saw that it was a video clip of a backstreet nearby one local diner in Savanna Central that Nick and she had lunch with Clawhauser and Fangmeyer about a week ago. At first, she was confused what was wrong with this clip until Nick rewound it. She found out that it was recorded on the same day they ate out with feline friends. However, the weird thing was …

“A chunk of this footage had gone missing?” Judy became astounded because the clip skipped the period between around noon and the time after **Hybrid** defeated **Savage** s.

She picked a case file up immediately from the messy table in order to scan information about Monty the moose, who was last seen at that diner before he turned up missing. The statements confirmed that he headed to the same backstreet appearing on computer screen.

“Something smells fishy here.” Also looking at the file, Nick assumed there must be something happening around the portion of time which was cut out.

“I gonna check other videos from surrounding areas, in case they may lead us to more clues.” Judy slid back to her computer.

“Hold your horses~” Nick touched a backrest of Judy’s seat to attract his partner’s attention. “We work as partners and we gonna crack these cases together.” He winked at her. Accordingly, she could not help but giggle in response.

“Judy! Nick!” Clawhauser, gripping the edge of partition wall, appeared at their cubicle out of nowhere.

“Benjamin? What’s the matter?” The surprised bunny quizzed. The duo shifted their attention to the cheetah who resumed talking. “You might wanna see this.” He then left. The doe eyed the tod. He just gave her a shrug and they followed the feline officer afterwards.

    The trio shortly arrived in a station break room where they found some of other colleagues gathering there while watching a wall-mounted television. Judy and Nick tilted their heads up to watch it as well.

The television was showing a live broadcasted press conference of three leaders of the main forces or organizations defending Zootopia’s security; Chief Bogo, the head of the ZPD, standing on the dais with the director of the DIB, Mickael Mouse, being upright on a podium in order to be visible for the press and next to them was Maximus the **SCU** team’s leader.

    _So this is why he seemed to be in such a hurry earlier huh?_ Judy guessed. Soon after that, her interest was caught by the news headline. ‘ **SAVAGE** AND MYSTERIOUS FIGURE’ _What’s mysterious figure?_ She questioned in mind.

It appeared like the duo did not miss anything crucial since Cape Buffalo was about to get to the point. “-As you all have already known, **SCU** is a team under cooperation between ZPD and DIB in order to deal with the unknown beings which first showed up out of nowhere in Rainforest District roughly a year ago. They come in many shapes, still have some features in common such as similarity towards mammals like us but their fur and skins are purple. What’s more, their behavior is… ferocious in the same or higher degree than those victims in Night Howler case that happened several years previously; hence, the name ‘ **Savage** s’.”

Behind the organizational heads, multi-monitor displayed images of various **Savage** s in many different places and points in time. Their appearances ranged from savage mammal-looking to monsterlike, mutated and uncanny. Some photographs were blurry as if they were taken from far distance or hastily.

Bogo paused to check the press’s reaction, _looks like they’re interested in another topic more,_ before he resumed his speech eventually.

“Moving on to today main subject matter, there are pictures and clips of the other bizarre creature shared in internet lately. Records show that the very first encounter with her… or him? was a period nearly after **Savage** s’ arrival.” He sounded uncertain when specifying the creature’s gender. The monitor behind them switched the **Savage** s’ images to pictures of a strange red armored rabbit with fox tail,... **Hybrid**.

    The officers watching the broadcast began to discuss among themselves once **Hybrid** ’s pictures popped up, including Nick and Judy. “Is this how we look like nowadays?” She whispered to her buddy.

It had been a big while she looked at **Hybrid** ’s reflection during the time both uniting as the armored cross-breed. In addition, she had never searched or even desired to look up information about **Hybrid** on internet. Therefore, all the blurry images, silhouette and drawing pictures took her by surprise.

“Umm, I’m quite positive we don’t look like that.” Whispering back, he pointed at a sketch of supposed **Hybrid** , exaggeratedly bulkier than real one, also having vicious fangs and fierce eyes similar to comic book characters, in a background.

“We can’t identify this life form yet. According to its outward aspect resembling a cross between a leporid and a canid, we dub it with a codename same as what mammals call it on internet, **Hybrid** .” Bogo just referred to **Hybrid** as ‘it’ for convenience’s sake.

One of the reporters at press conference raised her hoof. When Chief nodded at her, a zebra lowered her arm and raised a question instead. “Does ZPD have any connection with the hybrid creature?”

The question was too specific. Fortunately, Bogo had been prepared for this type of questions. “You must reach that conclusion due to ZPD logo visible on **Hybrid** ’s head sometimes-”

“Oh yeah… Forgot that Police form basically looks like your field dress with ZPD hat.” Nick murmured at Judy as she contemplated the fact that whenever both transformed into **Hybrid** , all of the armors, helmets, accessories and weapons manifested physical appearances on their own without any of her or Nick’s control.

“But! I can assure you that we at ZPD have nothing to do with it-” Bogo’s posture tensed up. Consequently, Mickey decided to interject before the buffalo behaved too aggressive in front of public. “This hybrid guy is full of mystery. Heck, we don’t even know it’s a threat or not?”

    The mouse waited for reporters to note down, then carried on. “Nonetheless, it obviously acts outside the law. No clue which organisations it was under. That’s why we aim to capture it for further investigation.”

    Director’s words triggered a fuss among the press. Both heads of police force and intelligence agency found this a perfect opportunity to let Maximus step in. They sent him a signal through glances. The stallion nodded his head in understanding.

“It can be seen that **Hybrid** is capable of ending **Savage** s by oneself. Typical task forces would not be able to arrest **Hybrid** , except **SCU** team, who has proper equipments, only.” He publicly informed.

“What do you two think?” Clawhauser, stepping closer to the duo, asked a question which drew their attention to the rounded big cat.

“Uhh…” Judy hesitated as she was still comprehending information from the broadcasted press conference. “Seems like Chief and others handled the press pretty well.” She finally gave her opinion.

“No, I’m talking about **Hybrid**.” He specified while typing on his phone, and then handed it to her.

    The bunny received the cheetah’s phone which is as large as a tablet for rabbits. She held it with both paws.

“Yowza! Is **Hybrid** that big a deal!?” Judy got shocked to see lots of search engine results about **Hybrid** coming up after searching on internet.

    Nick, leaning closer to his partner, scrolled a screen with left fingers before tapping a link direct to one blog. After that, a page was revealed to be a collection of video clips from various sources, Furbook, Tweeter, Znapchat, et cetera. Although the clips were recorded in many locations of the city Zootopia and on numerous periods of time spanning over a year, they shared a similarity… They were all about **Hybrid**.

    The fox officer gradually scrolled down, randomly clicking on the videos to play them. The first clip the duo watched together was uploaded on the previous day. Apparently, there was a mammal who recorded **Hybrid** police form, fighting against **Savage** s, with a smartphone from inside a car. Fox and rabbit remembered the event well like it was yesterday because it really did happen yesterday. They recalled that they asked Clawhauser and two civilians to take cover in **Hybrid** ’s vehicle. The fox skimmed through the video showing **Hybrid** yanking a chain to pull Tanuki **Savage** in and throwing a right punch at it, tying she-cheetah monster up and shooting at armored rhino.

    The second vid was a jam cam’s record of **Hybrid** archer form firing a number of arrows at a pack of wolf **Savage** s. This battle happened in Sahara Square about several months previously.

    Next was a clip taken from hotel balcony. Apparently, camera zoomed from quite a distance; therefore, the video was slightly blurred, yet clear enough to tell what was going on, **Hybrid** hustler form twisting **MidniDriver** ’s handle back to use Critical Break then jumping high to kick elephant **Savage** right in its face.

    The fourth vid was another **Hybrid** archer form clip, one of the earliest fights. Hybrid got dragged around by hippo **Savage** after accidentally shooting a grappling hook arrow to it. Furthermore, they did not know how to detach the wire from a wrist at that time. It truly brought back memories when the duo were inexperienced as armored cross-breed fighter.

“Carrots, check this out.” Nick highlighted one video, a first-person view shaky cam of confusion during evacuation from **Savage**. Both a squirrel who held a camera in right paw and his girlfriend were almost stomped on by much larger mammal. Luckily, a chain wrapped around them, then pulled them out of danger in time. They moved quickly through air. Next, **Hybrid** police form caught them in arms.

In the clip, “Please run away from here fast.” Nick in **Hybrid** ’s body spoke to the squirrels with his best attempt of handsome deep voice. The camera focused on a stylish red helmet with navy police hat; thus, it looked as if **Hybrid** was talking to the viewers. Right after that, the armored mixed breed put them down prior to heading back to fight.

Judy read the video’s title. _Super ZPD officer?_ , which made her guess this might be one of the causes leading mammals to jump to conclusion that **Hybrid** was associated with ZPD.

“It spells out ‘cool’, don’t ya think? This clip’s among my faves.” The tod commented, obliquely boasting himself.

    The doe shaked her head in amusement but she then changed her expression to more serious. “Hang on a sec! You’ve seen these videos? Why have you never told me about these!?” She turned sharply toward the tod.

“In my defense, you used to tell me that you sorta dislike finding yourself on the internet cuz it weirds you out. That’s why I’ve never spoken of this with you.” Tod breathed, quietly enough only sensitive eared bunny heard him. Doe pouted in response to his explanation.

“So what do you two think of them?” The cheetah repeated a question.

“Th-Them?? I- Isn’t **Hybrid** the sole being?” The rabbit got anxious, wondering how her friend possibly knew **Hybrid** was more than one mammal or he actually knew their secret?

“Well, we can’t specify **Hybrid** ’s gender yet. Also, it’s somehow rude to call city’s hero ‘it’.” The feline friend explained with a genuine grin.

“Hero?” She was perplexed once the word ‘hero’ was mentioned since she had barely heard praises for **Hybrid**. Moreover, she viewed that it was their responsibility to protect and serve the city. Therefore, she had not considered her and Nick’s **Hybrid** alter-ego a hero.

“How do you feel about them?” Clawhauser persisted in asking for the duo’s opinions.

“...” Judy became reluctant to talk, afraid that she may make a wrong move.

“As far as we concerned, no comment~” The smirking fox put his right elbow on top of bunny’s head. The weight he placed on her brought back her calm.

    In order to prevent herself from losing her cool again, “I’ve just remembered something important! Let’s get back to work, Nick! Excuse us, Benjamin.” Judy made up an excuse. She returned Clawhauser his phone. He stared her back while she accompanied by Nick left the break room.

    Judy felt emotionally bushed. She could expect some mammals took interest in **Hybrid** , still she did not anticipate such overwhelmed attention.

On their way back to their cubicle, “Since tomorrow is our day off, wanna crash at my place tonight? We can watch a film together~” Nick proposed.

“Sure thing” Judy imagined that a decent movie night with her best buddy must relieve a great amount of stress. “But first, we need to finish examining the footage.” She reminded him of their work merrily.

“Then, it’s set~” Nick grined wilder at his partner.

...- .. -.. . --- / -.-. .-.. .. .--. ...

“Get away!” Mammals rushed into another train compartment, muddling passengers inside that compartment. An Asiatic wild dog who was holding his daughter up followed other mammals before putting the pup down.

“Get the door! The door!” One passenger shouted. The wild dog hurried to shut the door but then he got reluctant because there were a water deer and a brown bear trying to escape to this compartment from feral mammals who were wounded, bleeding and noticeably… corpselike.

“Just shut it!” The same passenger directed panically, forcing the wild dog to shut the door.

    Nick (in Hawaiian shirt without his signature tie) sighed, “Why nobody tries to shoot down those zombies?” complaining about a film, ‘Train to Burrow’, taking place on a train, as a zombie apocalypse breaks out.

    In evening, at tod’s apartment, he and doe were watching the film released approximately two years earlier, one year prior to **Savage** first appearance, while sitting comfortably on each side of sofa.

“They keep running to next compartments over and over. When will they fight back?” He complained constantly.

“Even if they are zombies, to think that they used to be mammals like us, it’s hard to get over it.” Judy, wearing her casual clothing, expressed her viewpoint. “Plus, were there someone carrying firearms on train, that would mean station security fails, wouldn’t it?” She posed a question worth thinking about.

    Nevertheless, “If you’re scared, ya can hop into my arms, Fluff~” the fox digressed from a subject, teasing the bunny. Consequently, she sneered at him.

Later on, “As usual?” Judy grabbed a grooming brush from a sofa side table.

“How generous of you, Officer Hopps~” Nick beamed at her.

“Gimme your tail before I change my mind.” She beckoned.

Nick then shifted closer to Judy, laying his fluffy tail on her lap. She straightaway brushed his tail expertly. Both found grooming and being groomed relaxing, so it had become their thing whenever she visited his place. He was so enchanted by gentle grooming sensation that he dozed off in front of television.

    When Nick woke up, he saw movie credits were rolling. He clearly missed a large chunk of the film. He expected Judy to make fun of him falling asleep during grooming but when he turned to her, she was sleeping while hugging his tail.

    The fox looked fixedly at the sleeping rabbit. His stomach growled as he was licking his flew…

    Meanwhile, **SCU** vans were speeding down the road in Tundratown. The agents arrived at the scene where there were recent reports of a **Savage** going rampage. It was supposed to be a rodent. However, according to the reports, it was as enormous as a bison, having extra limbs and palps.

    **SCU** agents discovered a vaporizing corpse matching the monster’s features which they were informed about. The steam coming out the lifeless body melt some snow on ground.

Maximus grunted. His breath could be seen under cold weather. “Darn you, **Hybrid**!” He presumed that it had to be **Hybrid** , seeing that there was only one having ability to take care of **Savage** s in such a short time span, or should be...

“Did you hear that? Seems like all my credits got stolen.” On rooftop of a nearby building, the moon casted a shadow of wolf’s silhouette. The moonlight reflected on silver chrome body.

“Isn’t that actually favorable for us? It’ll make our jobs easier.” Mammal on the other end replied through some kind of wireless communication.

“Yeah, yeah.” The metallic wolf sarcastically agreed before disappearing in darkness.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 15/04/18: That was a long delay… Many things had happened lately. I suffered from anxiety and depression which came out of nowhere again. Moreover, my life has become train wreck. Everything is unpredictable and it can be frustrating when things do not go as planned, so can’t promise when I will release next chap anymore.  
> \- I tried splitting paragraphs to be smaller sections. Hope it’s easier to read. I also just learned the noun words, canid and leporid, for canine and Leporidae.  
> \- The series doesn’t called Hybrid, so there will be more to come~ But until next time, have a magical time~~


	7. Damages

**Judy** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

**Nick** : Good news! We made progress with the investigation of missing mammals. Maybe not much but every little thing counts. Am I right?~ Another good news! Hybrid’s fame has skyrocketed not only on internet but also mainstream media. If our alter ego is famous to such an extent that the big shots of forces held press conference, now that’s something~

**Judy** : I wouldn’t think that’s good. We accidentally made society suspect ZPD having some connection with Hybrid. It’s not like we intend to get the department involved, still each Hybrid form somehow adopts our traits to shape its appearance by itself, for example, ZPD logo on Police form’s helmet.

**Nick** : Oh and one more thing,... do DIB want to capture us for a research? If I get caught to be dissected, I’ll pass.

**Judy** : Of course not! They just want to investigate Hybrid… I hope.

**???** : I made a cameo in last chapter by the way!

**Judy** : Wh- Who are you!?

**???** : Now the chapter 7!

**Nick** : Hey! That’s my line!!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    In the morning, Judy woke up slowly with her eyes closed. She breathed in a scent of spring forest aroma, projecting an image of light green leaves dancing in the gentle first light surrounded by the fragrance of blooming lilies, which reminded her of Nick’s shampoo preference.

    Despite the overwhelming strong aroma, there was distinctive soft musky scent, giving off sweet fresh earthy smell, that wrapped tenderly around her.

    The gray doe rabbit steadily activated her other senses apart from the sense of smell.

    A pair of opening rabbit’s eyes was adjusting to see clearer. Right in front of her was cream chest fur. Her body caught warm fuzziness. Something wet was nuzzling against the top of her head.

    When she looked up, she eventually discovered that she was lying on the sofa with the asleep red tod fox giving her an embrace.

    The doe should be embarrassed… She should feel nervous in a man hug... It is true that they are the best of friends but their relationship had not reached the point of two mammals to casually snuggle up. However, for some reasons, she found this situation soothing and… heart-warming.

    Room ceiling lights were on, which led Judy to guess they might fall asleep together the previous night. It was not her first sleepover at Nick’s apartment though. She wished she could get up but she would not dare to unintentionally wake him up since his sleeping expression seemed so peaceful as she was gazing at his face.

    The rabbit saw her fox buddy so playful yet genuinely caring. They were considerably close as if they were siblings. For her, the fox was like a kind brother by some means. This particular moment evoked her childhood memories of staying overnight with older brothers. Even so, they both were not kits anymore… Would brothers still hold their younger sisters like this when they all are grown up?

    Speaking of brother, Judy suddenly recollected the case of Tadashi Hamada. Hiro, the little takuni, was very likely worried sick about his missing older brother.

    Afterwards, Nick changed his position to lie on his back, finally letting go of Judy, so she was able to get up. First thing she did after such a pleasant slumber was going to turn off the lights in order to save the energy. The switch on the wall was slightly too high for bunnies. Therefore, she tiptoed to click the switch.

    Sometimes later, Nick awoke from his sleep. He stretched on the sofa, then moved his paws around in searching for something. His eyes wide opened when he realized that beside him was empty. Instantly, he sat up with a start.

“Mornin’ sweetheart~” Judy greeted him cheerily while wiping her face with a towel.

It appeared like she had recently washed her face as her facial fur was still damp.

Nick did not reply anything. He just stayed silent and stared his bunny friend, which started to make her concerned.

“Nick?” Judy stopped wiping and called him worriedly.

He eventually regained his sense. “Sorry! I-I-” He began to stammer, pondering. At that moment, his stomach let out a loud growl. “-was thinking about breakfast.” The chuckling fox patted his tummy.

    The doe laughed along with the tod, who subsequently “What do you want to eat? For a heads-up, there aren’t many greens left in my fridge right now.” implied he would cook food for her in spite of the lack of vegetable.

“Actually, I have a place in mind.” She said, throwing the towel over her shoulder.

“Okay, you’re the boss.” He agreed to eat out wherever his partner wanted.

    _That growl was perfect timing but it’s still weird…_ Nick stole a glance at Judy before getting ready to go out.

\-- --- .-. . / - .... .- -. / ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. …

    Cass Hamada, mid-thirties female tanuki putting on a simple short sleeved v-neck, apron and her silver-turquoise necklace, was busy working at her cafe enthusiastically. Smile is a heart of service. She has to endure and keeps going no matter what.

Immediately after she heard a bell which rings every time the cafe’s door is opened, “Welcome~ Come on in~” she greeted customers automatically but when she turned to the door, “Officers!?” she was surprised to see Senior Officer Hopps and Senior Officer Wilde visiting her place. Both were dressed in civilian clothing.

“Hello Mrs. Hamada.” Judy waved her right paw to Cass.

“Is it about the case!? What can I do for you!?” She hurried towards the duo.

“It’s our day-off, so we come to have a meal here.” Nick tried to calm a cafe owner down.

“Oh, I see. That explained why your clothes are so casual today.” Cass’s face grew a bit depressed for a second. “Please take your seats.” Back in good spirit, she led the new customers to a table. Next, “What would you like to order?” she gave them the menu.

    After both of them placed their orders, the tanuki went into kitchen, cook the food and serve the dishes to them without delay. The dish which the rabbit ordered was Tofu omelette with asparagus accompanied by a glass of fruit juice while the fox ordered Eggs Benedict with chicken ham and a cup of blueberry flavored coffee.

“Ahh, I know at this moment isn’t your working hours.” Cass’s voice conveyed uncertainty. The duo turned their attention to her. Nick stopped scooping food from his plate. Meanwhile, Judy held a tip of a fork between her lips.

“In case you two don’t mind, can we talk…?” Tanuki asked the officers.

    Placing down the fork, the doe chewed food in her mouth hastily then swallowed and answered. “Sure.”

    Cass was about to speak. However, she notice a customer raising one’s arm to get her attention.

“I’ll be there soon.” She spoke up to the customer across the cafe.

“Excuse me.” She told the duo, expression showing an apology for having to leave them.

    Before she went to serve other customers, she walked up to the foot of the stairs at the corner of the cafe, then “Hiro! Come down a bit!” shouted to the 2nd floor.

“What’s the matter, Aunt Cass.” Hiro Hamada, a tanuki teen in blue hoodie, descended the stairs leisurely.

“Officers!?” Once he saw Nick and Judy, he dashed to their table.

    Cass let her nephew have conversations with officers while she was back to work.

“Hi Hamada… kun?” Nick addressed Hiro. He learned that calling acquaintances by first name in culture Hamada family is from can be considered as rude. Thus, he called him Hamada kun, still it sounded rather odd for the fox.

“‘Hiro’ is okay by me.” Teenage takuni apprised calmly.

“How you doing, Hiro?” Judy inquired after him caringly.

    Hiro dragged a nearby empty chair to sit on it. “So so, could be better.” He responded.

Seeing that Hiro looked faintly dejected, “Never told you this when we first met.” Judy came up with new subject. “You truly are remarkable! No kidding, being so intelligent that you’ve already graduated high school at a young age is genuinely impressive!”

She did not exaggeratedly praise him. In fact, she understated the boy’s capacity. According to what she had read about Hiro Hamada, apart from early graduation, he is highly innovative, capable of creating inventions some of which became famous online, thereby building his own reputation among scientific professions. He is undoubtedly a genius.

“If I recall correctly, you received an offer from Zootopia Institute of Technology, right?” Judy, still facing Hiro, slapped Nick’s paw when he attempted to snatch a bite of his buddy’s meal.

“Yeah. Tadashi referred me to the institute.” Hiro made both cops fall silent.

    Nick and Judy turned to look at each other. They started to communicate with hand signals.

_He’s even sadder than before!?_ Judy delivered a message.

_Way to go, Carrots. Aren’t we supposed to be here to check them whether aunt and nephew are alright or not?_ Nick made a response.

_I didn’t mean to upset him, Okay!?_ She countered.

“It’s fine. I’m aware you didn’t intend to bring my brother up… but I’ll take that as police haven’t found him yet.” Hiro sighed, gazing away.

“We will definitely find him! Don’t give up!” The doe encouraged the boy sincerely.

    Tod did not say any words. He continued eating to suppress not only his hunger but also some sort of feelings bugging him as he was watching his overconfident bunny friend.

    All of a sudden, a mammal cried for help outside the cafe. Apparently, there was a robbery going on.

“Sweet cracker!” Judy swiftly put money on the table “Keep the change” and subsequently charged out the front door.

    Nick hurriedly paid his meal, “I’ll be back for the change.” then quickly followed the doe.

..-. .- .-.. ... . / .... --- .--. .

The duo pursued a buck antelope who thieved a purse. The robber ran in a headlong rush down the sidewalk, disobeying their order to stop escaping arrest, almost completely ignoring his surroundings.

Consequently, he crashed with a wolf pedestrian. Nevertheless, that barely made him want to slow down. He kept on fleeing… or at least he tried.

“What’s the big idea, bub?” The white tundra wolf grabbed antelope’s horn.

“If you bump into someone, first of all, apologize, you dipbiscuit!” He grasped the thief’s wrist instead and went straight judo throw him to the ground. The dazed buck groaned in pain while lying on the walkway.

“Fudge nuggets, was I too harsh on you? But you are a thief, so it doesn’t matter anyway.” The wolf snickered at the recumbent antelope.

    The duo finally caught up with the seized robber. Nick suffered a stomach ache after a run. Whereas, Judy experienced no pain from running after eating not much thanks to lack of appetite.

“Thank you for assisting with capturing, sir!” She showed her appreciation to the wolf whom she saw as a good citizen helping cops.

“With my pleasure, Officer Hopps~” The wolf addressed the bunny by her name, which shocked her to some extent before she realized she holds the title of the very first rabbit officer, being semi-celebrity; thus, it is normal for strangers knowing her name.

“Well, I gotta go. I bet you can take care of the rest~ Ciao~” The dog wolf released his hold on the antelope, and then departed.

    Judy felt happy because the wolf prompted her to preserve faith in mammals. It was rather sorrowful when there were criminals in the time city was being threatened by monsters. Nonetheless, good mammals still exist too.

“I’m a thief, so it doesn’t matter?” The antelope mumbled.

“It’s not like I have any other choices...” He enunciated so clear the the rabbit and the fox pricked up their ears.

“Because of misfortune, **Savage** attacked my house. I lost everything, shelter, money. My entire works got shredded. I lost my job! Tell me what else should I do!?” He vented his despair, just lying on the ground, submitted to the cruel fate.

    Sympathy toward the antelope made bunny cop reluctant. If what he said was all true, it would mean he was merely a victim of **Savage** attack.

    At the moment of hesitation, there was a fox paw touching the top of her head, paw with familiar sense of none other than her partner. The weight put on her head caused her to remember her obligations and job duties.

    The bunny cop hardened her heart, “Above all, return the purse. You have the right to remain silent-...” providing a Miranda warning.

\-- .. ... ..-. --- .-. - ..- -. .

    The purse-snatcher was brought to ZPD station by rabbit and fox police officers in civilian clothes. Since it was their day off, no one did really expect to see them at the station. Still, it was not totally unexpected because the doe is usually exceedingly diligent, performing duties even on days of rest. And for the tod, he generally tags along with his partner.

    After others took over a robbery case, the duo were going back to enjoying the day off. Nevertheless, they did not certainly anticipate coming upon one of the most popular singers in Zootopia.

“Don’t you surely have any update about my missing dear friend?” A female gazelle queried desperately.

“B-But your manservant went missing a-after **Savage** s broke in your mansion. Besides, th-that was roughly a year ago-” A chubby male cheetah faltered.

“I know he’s out there… somewhere.” She spoke little quieter, clenching her left fist.

    Penny Gazelle, a famous Zootopian pop star, wearing shades and a cap which hid her golden hair and allowed her horns to poke out in order to disguise herself, so no fan would recognize her easily, talked with Clawhauser at a reception desk... again.

“Please-- Officer Clawhauser… Let me see Chief Bogo-”

“Ca-Calm down, Gazelle.”

“I beg of you, please...”

    Following **Savage** s intruding into Gazelle’s house, one of the servants disappeared.

Gazelle came in the police department quite often to inquire about the progress of finding her manservant.

Many, such as other employers, fellow staffs, friends and family members, discouragedly accepted a presumption that he may be gone since the monsters’ intrusion, whereas Gazelle had been believing her friend was still alive somewhere.

“Poor her...” Judy could not help feeling bad for the pop star.

“Indeed. I also feel sorry for Clawhauser.” Nick imagined it must be distressing for the fans like Clawhauser and Chief Bogo to see their favorite singer keep denying cruel reality and convincing herself to have faith.

Nick’s sympathy jogged his memory. “Incidentally, Carrots, mind if we visit a place?”

“I actually have a place I wanna visit now too.” She sort of got the impression her buddy was thinking of the same place.

.-.. --- ... ... / .- -. -.. / -.-- . .- .-. -. .. -. --.

    Just a few blocks away, there was a juvenile detention center where Nick and Judy were visiting the boys whom police captured when DIB specifically asked the pair for assistance with illegal night howler transport investigation in Sahara square warehouse district.

“Glad you’re doing well, kiddos~” Smirking fox folded his arms over the chest. He as well as the bunny sat around a circular table with five teenage mammals in visiting area

“Stop calling us kiddos, gramp.” James the fox lad, the oldest one among the group of teenagers, offended Nick to a certain extent that his left eye twitched slightly.

    Nick started to get irritated whenever somebody criticized his age since he realized he was only half a decade away from becoming 40.

Notwithstanding, the ex-con artist was still able to conceal his true feelings expertly. “Drop that grumpy tone~ I’d rather be at Mystic Spring Oasis but Ms. Fluff dragged me here- Oww!” He exclaimed as Judy pinched his upper arm. “It hurts! It hurts! I’m joking!” bawled he. Judy released her grip from Nick immediately afterwards.

“We mean it that we’re glad to see you all are doing great.” She beamed at the teenagers.

“I wouldn’t say getting tranquilized then thrown into jail is great.” James looked askance at Judy.

“First, here isn’t a prison. Just to be clear; this is a youth detention center. Second...” The doe halted abruptly when she considered it might be better not to tell these kids that due to the fact they had some connection with John Silver, dangerous crime lord, making them stay where they can be guarded round the clock was possibly the smartest decision for their safety.

“Second what?” Thomas, a young buck rabbit, wondered.

The doe chose to change the subject. “Anyway, have your parents contacted you five lately?” She guessed the parents were definitely worrying about their children’s welfare.

The teenage mammals exchanged looks briefly before James spoke for others. “You may not know this but… some of us lost father, mother or both.”

“Huh!?” The duo were shocked by words they heard.

“Some disappeared, some were put in a coma, some even… passed away after **Savage** s… y’know” He tried to carry on despite discomfort from talking about it.

“It’s okay. We get what you’re saying.” Nick told the younger fox.

_These boys basically are on their own, huh?_ Judy pondered.

“Umm, any news about Jim?” Roll the raccoon ultimately uttered after keeping silent since the buddy cops came to pay him and his friends a visit.

    Although Roll’s real name is actually James, he preferred being called by a nickname because there was the fox lad named ‘James’ too in their group, which might be confusing, provided someone called to James among them.

    Judy got no idea how many relatives these boys had left. _It seemed as if they only had each other. It’s just 6 of them. If one of them is missing, the rest must be anxious, especially the twin brother._

    Both Nick and Judy gazed into one another’s eyes. They were well aware that their investigation had not made much progress. They had no clue where John Silver was and whether Jim Tuck, Roll’s twin captured by the crime lord, was still with him or not.

    She blinked, then looked back at Roll, “Everything gonna be just fine. I can assure you.” encouraging him tenderly.

    Unfortunately, the teenage boar raccoon did not seem more relieved or less distressed. The doe became awkward, meditating on what or how she should do or say to him, but subsequently noticed the adult tod rubbing his arm which she pinched previously. The way he acted undeniably drew her attention.

“Oh, suck it up, big guy.” Judy jested with Nick.

“It really hurted.” He made a whining fox noise.

“Poor dumb fox. I gonna kiss that spot later, so quit whining already.” She sarcastically joked around, pointing at the area she pinched before.

“If you say so, then you’d better pinch my cheek earlier.” He caused his best friend to blush.

Eventually, Judy understood Nick’s intention to light up the mood, still he made her embarrassed; hence, she punched his arm lightly while she was giggling.

    Following that, she noted the young bear staring her and Nick intensely.

“What’s the matter, Edward?” She asked the bear.

“Nothing! It’s just… I know that you two officers are partners but… are you datin-Ouch!” Edward or Ed for short was interrupted by the skunk, the youngest mammal of the group, yanking bear’s waist fur.

It appeared the boar skunk rebuked he-bear for invading officers’ personal territory, but then, regardless of the doe’s chest tightening with warm fuzzy feeling, she did, of course, not take offense.

“We ain’t dating, still single.” Judy clarified.

“Officer Hopps is single!?” The buck was stunned by the older rabbit’s statement.

“Precisely~ But I’m 28 now. Am I not too old for you?” She joshed him comically.

    However, it turned out the teenage rabbit’s face seriously reddened.

“J-Just teasing...” Judy promptly corrected his understanding, making others laugh… except Roll who went back to be quiet. When she took notice of him, she grew concerned.

-.. .- -- .- --. . ... / .- -. -.. / .- -.-. .... .

    The (almost) whole day led the pair to reflect on many lives ruined by **Savage** s. It was indubitably unignorable issue. As long as she possesses the power to help others, she will not hesitate to help them… No matter how…

    During the time that both strolled down the street in Savanna Central, “Nick, let’s meet up with Fru Fru, so we can warn her about missing mammals and night howler trafficking.” Judy suggested sincerely.

“Is it a good idea?” Nick tested her.

“When it comes to underground world, Mr. Big has authority to manage situations more comprehensively than law enforcers.” She stated her viewpoint strongly.

“In this case, we will risk our jobs on the line, won’t we?” He kept testing her.

    Nick highly believed that his partner was fully mindful of her position as police officer. Delivering police’s insight information to mafia can affect her status very much.

“Our jobs are to serve, to protect the city. We must take action no matter what. No time to be distraught over such subject matter.” She asserted.

“That’s my fearless bun bun~” He wore a sneaky yet proudful grin with half-lidded eyes.

    Nick cast a glance on Judy. Even so, something else attracted his interest. In an alley between two buildings, there were a couple of mammals, an opossum and a pallas’s cat, acting suspicious, swapping each other’s gym bags.

“Carrots, 3 o’clock.”

    Judy turned her head to the right, catching sight of suspects probably trading illegal stuffs in a narrow lane.

She together with Nick darted across the street, moving toward the alley. Luckily, there were not many mammals wanting to drive or ride their vehicles outdoors as of lately. Accordingly, the pair did not have to be worried about getting run over by cars on street.

    At the time the potential criminals descried two figures coming their way, they ran deeper into the alleyway straight away, which convinced the duo more than enough that these mammals were guilty.

“Stop in the name of the-” While the bunny was ordering the criminals, her long ears picked up a distinct sound, a feral grunt.

    She slowed down her pace, whereas the fox sped up to catch up with the pallas’s cat and the opossum.

“Watch out!” Bunny grasped fox’s shirttail just before a weasel leapt downward from above in front of the duo.

    The weasel had the wild gesture, down on all fours, drooling, and also had purple fur. It obviously is a **Savage**.

    Judging from the priorities, they needed to get rid of the **Savage** first. After finishing it off, they would chase the criminals later.

    When the duo were confident that those mammals had probably escaped far enough not to see or hear the duo and the monster, they proceeded with transformation, putting on the morphers, **MidniDriver** , belts of which wrapped around their waists automatically.

Next, Nick pulled the tilted silver syringe on **driver** ’s left side. “DRAW BLOOD” His blood filled up the syringe before being teleported into Judy’s syringe.

Judy pressed the syringe to “INJECT” inject herself with canine blood, resulting in Nick losing unconscious, leaning against the building’s wall then gradually falling on the ground.

“Transform!” She twisted the maroon handle sticking out on the right half. “IGNITE” Soon afterwards, the morpher device caused the blistering steam blast, changing the doe to a flamingo red bio-armored cross between two breeds, **Hybrid** , shiny metallic full body suit of armor on the doe figure, soft metal bunny ears, spiked fluffy fox tail, amethyst headlights for eyes, and last but not least, fangs with a pair of buck teeth pattern on muzzle part of helmet.

**Hybrid** hit the syringe two times “ ACT-ACTIVATE” to activate the enhanced senses in order to find the criminal feline and marsupial; the united duo were able to locate them readily.

“Let’s get this over with. We have suspects to hunt down.” Judy said, keeping the guard up.

“You bet~ I don’t plan to waste my precious day-off.” Nick’s voice came out from the armored blend of a fox and a rabbit.

Nick launched **Hybrid** at the weasel, extending the claws, aiming to lacerate the monster’s flesh.

As it was, the **Savage** dodged the attack by inches. **Hybrid** landed staggeringly before whirling to maintain balance and strike again, still it evaded every attack by swaying from side to side.

“I’ve run out of patience.” The tod retracted the claws to throw a punch. The weasel ducked down, which went according to plan. **Hybrid** then kicked straight upward.

    **Savage** flipped backward, yet both fox and rabbit did not feel **Hybrid** ’s foot hit anything. This signified that it managed to avoid the kick.

“Is it just me, or-” Nick was about to complain.

“Is this **Savage** quite peculiar?” Judy took over **Hybrid** ’s vocal organs to express her doubt.

“Gotta prove something real quick” She charged at the monster, lowering the torso, spinning around while leg sweeping on the floor.

Yet again, **Hybrid** failed to hit **Savage** . It jumped on **Hybrid** ’s shoulders and then leapt off.

    Standing upright, the mixed breed faced onto the weasel monster crouching near the senseless fox’s body lying close to the wall.

    Nick and Judy were amazed by this **Savage** ’s action.

In the past, they had certainly come across **Savage** s keeping distance from **Hybrid** during fights. The duo knew well that these monsters are not mindless living organisms. They are capable of thinking and responding to their environment.

For all that, this one could come up with strategies, keeping its distance to a minimum, dodging the attacks. Furthermore, it did not try to fight back.

When **Hybrid** was full of openings, a great opportunity to assault, it just jumped over the cross-breed although it could have pounced on the armored mammal.

And importantly, the **Savage** did not even go after a motionless prey such as Nick’s unconscious body.

Overall, it appeared as if all this monster did was to… buy time...

    Thereafter, **Hybrid** ’s enhanced hearing perceived van engine sound clearly, two vans to be exact. They were going to depart subsequent to each picking up two different passengers, which could suggest that the duo would lose those criminals unless they made a move.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Nick gripped **driver** ’s handle, intending to twist it forth twice in order to become **Hybrid** Archer form.

Archer form would allow them to fire tracking arrows curvedly from **Hybrid** ’s position to the vans.

No sooner had the fox changed the form than the weasel sprang at **Hybrid**.

**Hybrid** let go of the handle and struggle to get the **Savage** off the face. However, the monster clung onto the mixed-breed real tightly.

All of a sudden, the weasel **Savage** puffed up, pupils glowing hot purple, before it burst apart. A gushing boiling mist erupted. The explosive force blew **Hybrid** away to the wall.

The armored mammal fell down, sitting next to tod’s body, feeling dizzy, ringing in the ears, dim vision, owing to explosion. As a result, the duo were unable to detect the criminals’ whereabouts any longer.

Even though they were almost out of commission in that period, they were responsive enough to discern surroundings like pedestrians passing the mouth of the alley.

With the **Savage** being gone, they should detransform before any mammals saw **Hybrid** and passed out Nick together. Judy was going to pull the syringe.

“Not yet, Judy. You’ll receive damage if we detransform now. Wait a moment.” Nick, taking control of the body, stopped **Hybrid** ’s left arm.

    Judy agreed with him, thereby waiting. _1.. 2.. 3.. 4-_ While counting on to ten in her mind, she as well as Nick heard sirens of **SCU** vehicles.

    Both conjectured the event might turn out worse if **SCU** managed to capture them. Therefore, _5-6-7-8-9-10!_ Judy quickened counting numbers and pulled the syringe once she reached 10.

    Soon afterwards, Wolford, a member of **SCU** patrol team, chanced upon the familiar doe and tod in casual wear leaning against the wall in the alleyway as his team van was running past the lane between buildings.

    He asked his crewmates to stop the van so that he could get off the van.

“Wilde! Hopps! Are you okay!? What happened?” Wolford rushed to see his police friends.

“We’re good.” The fox gave the rabbit support to stand.

“We happened on likely illicit trade.” She answered, informing only partial truth, keeping the **Savage** and **Hybrid** part a secret.

    It was lucky for them that they had done detransformation and also put **MidniDriver** s away earlier than the dark brown timber wolf’s arrival.

“Where are **SCU** folks heading off in such a hurry?” The fox changed the topic to avoid any further questions about their situation from the wolf.

“ **SCU** got several reports that **Savage** s are going on a rampage in Rainforest District, plus battling with **Hybrid**!” Wolford claimed.

    Nick and Judy traded a perplexed glance.

**_Savage_** _s are battling with_ **_Hybrid_ ** _in Rainforest District…?_ They questioned how it was possible since they two, who could morph into **Hybrid** , were here in Savanna Central.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 18/05/18: It has been like forever since the last time I posted the previous chapter (Don’t even know Recap section can help jogging memory). I have been occupied with stuffs happening lately, such as preparing myself for studying abroad and working as staff at Marvel event held in my hometown. (Getting off topic a little bit, for some reasons, spoiling Infinity War is customers' pleasure. Some spoke out loud what happens first 5 mins of film. Some came up to me and pointed at movie poster then tell me which characters die. For crying out loud! I hadn't watched the film back then but I knew every single thing by that point because of certain group of customers.)  
> \- After a hiatus, I kinda forgot the traits I have planned to put in the series. LoL.  
> \- Thank you for reading this fic. Please leave comments! I wanna know feedback! Until next time~ Have a magical time!!


	8. Duties

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia

 **Judy** : Ever since Savages appeared for the first time in Zootopia, many mammals have suffered various kinds of hardships. Although the city is already troubled by the monsters, there still are plenty of robberies, kidnappings, illicit trades, et cetera. While some officers were assigned to join Savage Control Unit, each of us, who still remain in police force, must undertake more tasks.

 **Nick** : Good grief, not like I’m lack of sympathy or anything but shouldn’t mammals help out each other in a difficult situation, not wreck havoc, even if they fell victim to Savages’ attack?

 **Judy** : Incidentally, we encountered a weird Savage. Despite not being highly mutated, it sure wasn’t an easy target, not to mention… bomb suicide.

 **Nick** : It’s just because this one is small and slightly swift, so we had trouble dealing with it. If I had got little more serious, we would have defeated it, and yet it blew up first… literally.

 **Judy** : Hey Nick

 **Nick** : What, Carrots?

 **Judy** : How did I end up in your hug at the beginning of the previous chapter anyway?

 **Nick** : Oh look! We must get to this chapter now!

 **Judy** : C’mon Nick! Tell me!

 **Nick** : Now the chapter 8!!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    A few days later, Judy, dressed in her uniform, was reading papers in the police office cubicle, which was what she was supposed to do, but actually, she was busy thinking another thing.

    _Mammals reported to_ ** _SCU_** _that Savages with fighting with Hybrid while Nick and I were somewhere else… Impossible!_ _How did it happen? Giving false evidence? But_ ** _SCU_** _team won’t flocked to the scene, unless they confirm the statement. Therefore, falsehood is out of the question._

_Was it misunderstanding? Then again, who would mistake an armored mammal ,capable of defeating Savages alone, for somebody else?_

“Overthinking about that whole the other day stuff?” Judy’s fox partner with rolled-up uniform sleeves and loosened tie was sitting on an office chair next to her.

“Sorry, I know I should focus on the case, still it keeps bugging me.” She apologized, ears drooping.

    For the past few days, most of the works were checking cctv footage and finding the clips that had missing parts. Fortunately, they did not require much thought.

    On the other hand, when it comes to searching for the relation among these clips, it is a task which undeniably demands analyzing.

Rabbit officer had trouble reading the papers that she together with the fox collected information for since she constantly got distracted to think about **Hybrid** matter and also... the one odd **Savage**.

“About that monster we fought with… Its movements, its actions, they all were clearly abnormal.” She stroked her chin, frowning.

“Tell me about it. Although dumb dumb **Savage** s aren’t brainless creatures, that one acted beyond primal instincts.” He put his paws behind his head, leaning against a backrest.

“Who can we ask about this?” She fell face down on table, arms pushing papers aside lightly. “Mr. Know-everybody, are you familiar with someone that knows about **Savage** s?” She was dispirited.

“Umm… Let’s see, someone that probably knows **Savage** s pretty well huh?” Nick’s index finger digital pad tapped the tip of his mouth before he snapped his fingers. “Oh! How about Professor!?”

Judy instantly lifted her head and quickly turned her face to Nick, “He’s already woken from coma!?” getting all worked up.

“Not sure. I have no clue~” He replied, shrugging.

“Then why did you mention him!?” She was still worked up but in upset way this time.

“Well, you asked me “am I familiar with some **Savage** experts?”.” Nick did an air quotes gesture, giving an obnoxious smug.

    Judy rolled her eyes in response, sighing deeply. She went back to face lying down on the table.

“Are you ok? You look tired.” In spite of his usual frivolous tone, Nick’s facial expression grew solemn.

“Mentally tired. Thanks to you...” Judy was not even bothered looking at him.

    A knock at the cubicle wall startled the doe. Consequently, she leapt to her partner’s lap. Momentum from a leap made tod’s chair rotate towards a mammal who just knocked on panel.

“Uhh, Hopps... Wilde...” That mammal was none other than their superior, Chief Bogo. He was bewildered by his officers’ action.

“Ch-Ch-Cha-Chift!” Judy hastily got off Nick’s lap to stand upright.

“Come to my office now.” Ignoring what had just happened, Bogo led the duo to his office.

    Along the way, the red fox talked with the European rabbit quietly enough that the Cape buffalo was less likely to hear them.

“Carrots, what was that?”

“I really dunno. It seems… I’m used to feeling that if something happens, I must protect your body first.”

“Good grief… I had no idea since when I became the damsel-in-distress.”

    It may turn out that the bunny developed a habit of protecting fox’s body owing to experiences of looking after his senseless body while being **Hybrid**.

    The buffalo came to a halt even though they had not reached his office yet. The duo stopped as well, then poked their heads from behind the buffalo to see what brought their chief to a standstill.

“What’s your secret to looking so young, sir?”

“Oh please, Clawhauser~ You’re flattering me~ It probably has to do with my small size.”

“I still can’t believe Director Mickey is in mid-50’s. I initially misthought you’re younger than Chief Bogo.”

“Is that so, Fangmeyer? Ha ha. Oh hi pal~”

    While Mickey Mouse (Director of DIB), Benjamin Clawhauser (a receptionist and a radio dispatcher of ZPD) and Jasmine Fangmeyer ( **SCU** agent) were chit chatting at a reception desk, the director turned to say hi to the duo. Moreover, he stood on the desk, so he could talk to larger mammals easier.

“Mouse..., why you aren’t waiting in the office??” Bogo sounded somewhat surprised to see Mickey outside his office.

“Waiting alone is rather boring. That’s why I came out here~ Thank you two for keeping me company.”

“My pleasure, sir! Still, you seriously look so young! It’s unbelievable that you actually are older than chief.”

Clawhauser’s comment impelled Bogo to touch his own face in order to check wrinkles.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Director Mickael Mouse.” Judy raised her right paw to salute, so did Nick.

“Come on~ It’s just Mickey~” Mickey chuckled mildly.

The duo, as well as their chief, approached the desk.

“How can we help you?” Nick conjectured why Bogo called him and Judy to his office. In addition, he reckoned that Director Mouse was possibly wanting something from them.

“Let’s cut to the chase then~ I’d like to ask you a favor to participate in a school assembly.”

“What kind of assemblies, sir?” Judy quizzed.

“Well, you see~ We at DIB, ZPD and **SCU** must have a responsibility to educate children about dangers in society.”

“But why specify us?” Nick also inquired.

“You two are packed with fame, perfectly fit for representing police public image~” Mickey gave a thumbs up. “Besides, you look tired, Hopps. Taking a break from the cases and doing this work instead doesn’t sound bad, don’t ya think?” He gave the other thumbs up.

    Judy felt like Mickey said the last part about looking tired just to convince her to join in the assembly.

“We’d love to participate but-”

    Once she uttered the word ‘but’, Bogo interrupted.

“The world has always been broken; therefore, we need good cops, like you, to guide future generation.” He patted Judy on the shoulder, gazing upon the duo.

    _Why does it sound extremely familiar?_ She doubted.

    _He’s simply trying to not upset Director Mouse, isn’t he?_ Nick wondered.

Seeing that the bunny balked at helping out, “It’ll be fun to work together, don’t cha think?” Jasmine stepped in to convince them as well.

“I’ll go along too.” Clawhauser said.

“Yeah. You’re great with kits, Ben.” Tigress complimented the cheetah.

    As for the doe, she sensed pressure from everyone on her and Nick.

“It’s not like I don’t wanna go. It just so happens Nick and I haven’t completed analysing cctv footage related to missing mammal-”

    At that moment, a pair of cops, wearing police overcoats, entered through the doorway.

The bengal tiger officer with winter turban on his head was shivering while “Tundratown is bloody cold.” complaining in Indian English accent, which actually is his natural accent and fits his tongue the most. He still had not recovered from a chill to the bone.

“Aren’t you used to patrolling that district yet? It’s been many months.” A bear, walking beside the tiger, said.

“I stand by my point, Mr. Polar bear.” He switched to an American accent.

“For the last time, despite my white fur, I’m a grizzly bear just like my parents.” The polar bear argued sincerely.

    The tiger averted his eyes, not bothered to correct his partner’s belief, then noted mammals gathering around the reception desk. He subsequently met tigress’ eyes coincidentally.

“Jackson!” Jasmine the bengal tigress loped to greet Jackson Rajah the bengal tiger with a friendly hug. “Why didn’t ya tell me you come here today!?”

“Ahh Umm aarr...” The zoned out tiger’s heart beat fast. Freezing in place, he barely prepared himself for a very warm welcome from a certain mammal he did not expect running into.

“I’m gonna go ahead. Later, amigo~” The snickering bear walked away.

“Wait! Where are you going!?” Regaining his senses, the tiger shouted.

“Hi Grizzoli!”

“Hi Fangmeyer~” The white bear greeted the tigress (his former teammate) back as he ignored his current feline partner, leaving him behind.

“So… What’s up with you guys gathering here?” The more awkward Rajah felt, the stiffer he became.

“Here the thing.” Jasmine led him to others, paw in paw. “We’re inviting Jude and Wilde to a school assembly. However, she said they’ve not finished analysis yet.” She summarized the situation.

“If it’s about the missing mammal cases...” Once he perceived that he was still holding Jasmine’s paw, he pulled his paw out promptly, “L-let me help you...” hurriedly budging away from her.

“But Jackson, you just patrolled all night.” Clawhauser mentioned. As a secretary, he pretty much memorized most of other officers’ shifts.

“Eh? You must be worn out. Shouldn’t you head home for now?”

“Getting some rest in a nap room and I’ll be ready to get back at work.” Rajah answered Jasmine, smiling to relieve her concern.

“Thanks bud! You are our hero!” She gave the tiger another hug which made him tense up again and slightly blush.

    _On the plus side, we apparently don’t have to worry about the cases._ Judy considered optimistically. “Okay, I’ll join.” She agreed to help out.

“Count me in~” Nick planned to tag along after her, no matter what decision she chose. If she decided to take part in the assembly, he would participate too.

“It’s settled then. Sorry to bother you.” Bogo sighed with relief, casting his gaze on two small officers.

    On the cheetah side, he glanced at the chief, ears bending limply, mouth turning down with a slight pull to the corners. His expression was subtle enough that no one noticed.

“Thanks for your sacrifice, you...” The mouse director intended to say the bengal tiger’s name. Unfortunately, he did not know the officer’s name.

“Rajah, Jackson Rajah.” Tiger introduced himself.

“You have such high spirits, Rajah~” Mickey beamed at Rajah. _Jackson Rajah… His name sorta rings a bell…_

.-- .... .- - / .-- . / . -..- .--. .-. . ... …

At one local elementary school in Downtown, two **SCU** agents (Fangmeyer the bengal tigress and Keaton the Andalusian horse), Three ZPD officers (Clawhauser the cheetah, Hopps the European rabbit and Wilde the red fox) and a teal-colored platypus DIB agent called an assembly in a gymnasium, standing respectively in front of children sitting on the stands. Between the large spotted cat and the bunny was a **Savage** slide show projected on a protector screen

Nick was dressed appropriately under the circumstances, neat and tidy, unrolled sleeves and tightened necktie.

They were in middle of educating students about the monsters, **Savage** s.

“Alright. Now, everybody understands what **Savage** s are and how dangerous they can be. But you see, some of them may look similar to us, mammals. Who could give me an answer about the difference between **Savage** s and mammals?” After adults provided a basic explanation of the monsters, Jasmine asked the children.

    She picked the kids who raised their paws to answer one at a time.

“Those monsters are all purple!”

“Our eyes only glow in the dark, while theirs also glow in daylight.”

“Their saliva drip everywhere.”

“Yours too”

    A child teased another child, resulting in titters from the rest. Hence, a teacher got them to pipe down.

“They all act savage!”

“No, duh. Captain Obvious.” One student replied, causing the young mammals on stands to burst out laughing.

    ZPD officers, including the former one, giggled at how children behaved, which reminded them of their childhood.

“Well done!” Feline **SCU** agent complimented young mammals.

After that, Clawhauser, the other feline, added. “On top of that, we all can walk on two feet and talk but **Savage** s, of course, cannot.” He displayed a friendly manner.

“At any rate, supposing you kits, cubs, pups spot injured **Savage** s, you should stay away from them because they have a high pain tolerance-” Jasmine paused a bit to check whether the elementary school students understood the vocabulary or not. “-and can heal rapidly. It’s not safe to get close to them even though they’re severely injured.” She warned.

Shortly afterward, Judy stated further details. “It might be hard to distinguish those monsters being wounded in the first place, since they don’t bleed, more likely that they are unable to...,  unlike when we get hurt. For instance, if we trip and fall, we will bleed and it will take some time for wounds to be completely healed after cleaning them and putting on bandage.”

Maximus the **SCU** team leader attempted to educate kids as well. “The other major difference is that when we die, our hearts stop, no more breathing, we’ll fall into an eternal slumber, not be able to move any longer…, except if tendons or muscles jerk, which results in corpses twitching.”

Slowly turning their heads, other adults glared at the stallion. Jasmine had already predicted this, knowing her boss did not have bad intentions but sometimes, he could come across as a not quite kid-friendly guy.

“I’m not sure whether he was serious or he just horsed around~” Nick gossiped about Maximus in jest with platypus agent who only made the growling noise in response.

    _Still not talk huh?_ Nick thought.

“However, when **Savage** s die, they will come to rest and then vaporize into nothing.”

    Subsequent to Maximus done speaking, there was a calf lifting a hoof to ask a question. “Where do we go after death?”

    The question stunned the adults so much that they were at a loss for words, afraid of accidentally making a wrong move that leads to speaking of things which potentially go against some beliefs.

    Suddenly, the fox cop decided to take action. “Kits, it’s kinda like taking indefinite leave for a sleep.”

“Lying in bed all day must be nice.”

“But only sleeping sounds boring.”

    Children chatted with each other.

“Trust me kiddos, once you reach a certain age, you would desire to sleep all the time.”

    Hearing Nick’s relatable assertion, teachers had a hard time keeping a straight face.

“Okay, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.” Jasmine stated. “Yes?” She pointed to a  cub.

“Have you ever met that one superhero in person?” The cub quizzed.

“Well, everyone is a hero in their own ways.” Maximus responded, flattered as he imagined that kids may look up to him who constantly protects the city.

“No no! I mean a real superhero like **Hybrid** on TV!”

    The agents together with the officers were mildly shocked when the name of the armored cross-breed mammal was mentioned.

“Can he fly?”

“How do you know it’s he?”

“I think this hero is a girl.”

    Most of the youngsters began to speak (partly arguing) loudly. Meanwhile, Judy was trying her best to prevent herself from smiling, almost not paying attention to stuffs around her anymore. She had never seen **Hybrid** as ‘a hero’, even after she heard Clawhauser called her and Nick’s combined alter ego ‘that’. However, she felt rather praised when these children regarded this alter ego as not merely a hero but a superhero.

    The fox officer caught a glimpse of his partner’s reserved smile, thus “Aw, you look so hoppy, Hopps~” joshing her softly, which made the bunny redden.

    After the fuss had settled down, “Let’s go over the important matter again. Whenever you find **Savage** , what should you do?” the tigress tested the students.

“Stay safe and contact **SCU** immediately.” They answered simultaneously.

“Excellent!” She praised them, clapping her paws a few times.

    All of a sudden, there was a door slammed open. A large brown mole janitor, wearing round glasses, rushed in the gymnasium. “Holy crud! Big problem!! **Savage** s are outside!”

-.. ..- - -.-- / - --- / . -.. ..- -.-. .- - .

    Following a quick nap, Rajah kept his word. He was reading the papers which Nick and Judy wrote while sipping coffee at his cube. The overcoat was hung on a back of office chair. As for his turban, he laid it on a desk.

    The tiger compared the papers related to the missing mammal cases with CCTV footage in ZPD’s database. He also looked at the cases that he took responsibility for investigation.

“It can’t be...” Mumbling, he grew more sullen, disturbed by the supposition formed in his mind. “I hope I’m wrong...”

.-- .. ... .... / - --- / -... . / .-- .-. --- -. --.

    During a commotion, Nick and Judy seized an opportunity, telling others that they would go out to check on civilians outdoors. But, in fact, they pinpointed the target, three of mid-sized macropodine **Savage** s wandering the school’s courtyard, sticking together.

    The duo made a detour to hide behind walls, an out of sight spot. They were about to transform.

“Ready partner?” Judy brought out her **MidniDriver** , then put it on. Its belt wrapped around her waist automatically.

“Born ready~” Nick, wearing his morpher, flopped down sideways towards the rabbit. As a result, she reached paws forward to catch him before he could fall down on the ground.

“What’s wrong, Nick!? Are you ok??” Having her heart in her mouth, she carried his upper body carefully.

“I’ll eventually fall on the ground anyway. Skipping some steps wouldn’t hurt~” He pulled his syringe. “DRAW BLOOD”

    She rolled her eyes in annoyance, then pressed her device’s syringe “INJECT”, supporting Nick’s falling unconscious body with one arm.

    Next, she laid him down and moved her right paw to twist the handle back “IGNITE”.

    **Driver** emitted purple steam, followed by mist explosion covering the bunny entirely. Accordingly, she transformed into the flamingo red full-armored rabbit with fox features (especially the tail), **Hybrid** Hustler form.

    In order not to waste any time, they pushed the syringe “ACTIVATE” to activate instantaneous movement, which allows **Hybrid** to travel from one point to another instantly.

The duo chose to use this ability instead of running into battle so that nobody saw **Hybrid** come out from where they were hiding Nick’s body and would start to suspect them.

 **Hybrid** appeared out of thin air above the courtyard. Feet landed on the field. They made a majestic entrance, or that was what they went for, but it turned out that during the landing, **Hybrid** slipped and fell over.

It did not hurt, but both got shocked what happened nonetheless. The fox and the bunny, sharing the same body, had a feeling of something wet and slippery on the ground.

“ **Hybrid**?” Maximus was guarding gymnasium’s doorway when he unintentionally blurted out.

    Two other agents and a feline officer were also surprised to see the armored mammal emerge from nowhere.

“ **Hybrid**!? Where? Where!?” The thrilled children, overhearing the name, wanted to get a good look at a real life superhero, so the adults obstructed them from leaving the building.

    The sensitive rabbit ears picked up young mammals’ voice calling **Hybrid**. Judy was embarrassed to picture that they caught sight of **Hybrid** slipping down, hence taking control of the body real quick to get up.

 **Hybrid** was confronting **Savage** s with avian feathers. One had a hooked bill in place of a snout. One’s hind legs developed into bird legs. Another one did not have arms but had a pair of wings instead.

“Fangmeyer, call reinforcements. Officer Clawhauser, Mr. DIB agent, protect citizens.” Maximus the horse drew out a pistol, planning to shoot down the monsters. Too bad, the distance between him and the target was too far. Furthermore, he did not have much special ammo for dealing with **Savage** at the moment; therefore, he stepped on the field to close the distance.

    However, he slipped and tumbled after a few steps, neighing shrilly.

There was black watery substance patchily all over the courtyard. Those macropodine **Savage** s coughed slimy liquids everywhere.

Judy began to surmise what this black fluid was, “Saliva!? Ewwwww!!!” disgusted by it. She carefully avoided not to step on wet areas again but-

“All aboard!” Nick, in charge of the body, dashed forth, sliding on the slippery ground with extended leg. **Hybrid** kicked the macropods in their legs, tripping them over.

“What’s the-!?” Judy wished to reproach Nick for taking her body through a disgusting mess. But before she could finish her sentence, Nick lifted **Hybrid** ’s left index finger to touch the center of the helmet’s muzzle part as a signal for her not to raise her voice.

If other mammals hear Judy’s voice from **Hybrid** , not Nick’s voice as usual, they will suspect.

Judy could only stay silent, swallowing frustration.

Soon after falling down, hooked billed one raised its head and then ejected slippery dark liquid through its mouth.

The duo were going to dodge the monster’s vomit. Unfortunately, because of slimy floor, **Hybrid** was unable to spring over far enough to evade the black watery matter and consequently blocked some liquids with left arm.

“Ew! Ew! It’s all wet and oily!” The doe grumbled.

Since it was difficult to run or jump around on the slippery floor like this, she aimed to activate the instant movement ability in order to get close to the monsters and attack them.

However, the left side of morpher got coated by black slime that must be from the hooked billed **Savage** ’s previous attack. The paws slipped when **Hybrid** tried to push the syringe.

“What’s this thing?” Judy sniffed at stuffs covering the body.

Nick could smell- “Oil?”

In this state, long range attack was more suitable, yet Police form’s gun might spark a fire with oil around them, which was too dangerous, especially nearby school buildings full of civilians. That being the case, **Hybrid** twisted the handle forth twice “ FORM SHIFT-ARCHER” to switch to the most fitting form for this situation.

Armor gaps released purple steam which removed the oil on the body. The doe’s figure enveloped in the fog from the device, core of which brightened along with amethyst headlight eyes.

 **Hybrid** pivoted around to clear the brume, revealing the flamingo red bio-armored mixed breed in green leather tunic, hood with red feather, charcoal mark on face that resembles eye mask.

At the time they were done changing form and “ACTIVATE” summoning a bow, Maximus finally straightened up after several failed attempts. He switched off the pistol safety catch.

Hearing sound of toggling a lever, Judy rapidly turned to **SCU** ’s leader. “Don’t shoot! These black liquids might be an oil!” Nick shouted. Both feared that his firearm could ignite the huge flame with oil on the ground.

“Shut up, **Hybrid**!” The horse yelled back. “I’ll arrest you later-”

    Seeing him not listening, **Hybrid** generated an arrow from right wrist, then shot it at him. An arrowhead broke off, allowing a boxing glove inside it to pop up.

    The boxing glove arrow hit Maximus right in his face, knocking him down, successfully preventing him from firing a gun.

“Please look after that guy. Thank you.” Nick requested Jasmine. Despite confusion, she agreed to do what she was asked, pulling her boss back into gymnasium.

    When **Hybrid** turned back, **Savage** s had already got up, two of them coming towards Hybrid, the other one with avian legs bounding in the direction of a narrow way between buildings where the duo hid Nick’s body.

    While they were experiencing difficulties in moving on the oily surface, these monsters easily moved around as they pleased.

    Judy hastily created a new lethal arrow to shoot the bird legged macropod. Abruptly, the hooked billed one threw up on **Hybrid** once more. The right paw was splashed with the black oil. The arrow slipped through greasy fingers, flying to strike the bird legged monster’s calf. It missed the viral spots that Judy aimed for.

“Tsk” The doe disapproved of the outcome, the bird legged **Savage** still, a bit slower, advanced. She tried to shoot it again but the other two interfered her by assaulting **Hybrid**.

    She “ACTIVATE” summoned a sword to deal with the billed one and the winged one. However, due to the greasy right paw, **Hybrid** dropped the sword. The only option left at the moment was to avoid the continuous attacks.

    As **Hybrid** was dodging the attacks, she grew anxious more and more, worried about tod’s body.

“Calm down, Carrots.” He comforted her. It was not like he did not worry, even so he was more concerned about his buddy, feeling the bunny’s body tremble from a surge of anxiety.

    _What should I do? Should I chase that_ **_Savage_** _? But if I leave here, our friends and civilians will be put into danger…. But Nick! What should I do?_ The doe concentrated.

    In a critical second, a monitor of Archer form detected an incoming object.

    A flash passed in front of **Hybrid**. The very next image Nick and Judy saw was that two **Savage** s were blown away, which greatly puzzled them.

“Stop spacing out~”

    Both swiftly turned **Hybrid** ’s head to the source of male fruity voice. The owner of the voice was a silver chrome full suited (from head to toes) wolf with a reflective black bar over the eyes, two black thunderbolt stripes mirroring each other on abdomen, and solar panels on chest as well as shoulders.

“I’ll take care of the rest. Hurry up and go to your body already~” The mysterious wolf said sotto voce, pointing at an area where Nick’s body were, when the **Savage** s that was just collided started to target him.

    _Wait! That guy knows about my unconscious body?_ Nick was undeniably aghast, whereas Judy “ FORM SHIFT-HUSTLER” only thought about saving Nick, changing back to Hustler form by twisting the handle forth with left paw.

She moved **Hybrid** ’s leg to sprint through the oiled courtyard. The gusting steam from changing the form blew away the liquid on spots of the ground **Hybrid** stepped on. Once they reached the edge of the courtyard field where there was no slippery oil, “ ACTIVATE” she ran at the astonishing speed to follow the bird legged **Savage** to the narrow path between buildings.

When **Hybrid** turned around the corner, they found it poking Nick’s senseless body. Judy, without second thought, twisted the handle back. “ CRITICAL BREAK” **Hybrid** sped up to the point of becoming a red blur with amethyst light lines alongside and then leaped, rolling front flip in mid-air, to kill the monster with a double kick blow.

 **Hybrid** landed backflip before hastening to check on Nick’s body.

“Nick! Are you alright?” Judy’s voice shivered.

“I think so. Still looking handsome and all-” He looked at his own unconscious body, commending in fun.

“Return to your body to make sure!” She did not care about the joke, pulling the syringe, sending his mind back to his body.

    The armor let out purple mist, then disappeared. Her body and clothes were back to the previous state.

    Nick woke up afterwards. “Yeah I-” After pressing his syringe to inject the blood, “I’m fine.” he continued.

“What a relief…” Judy sighed. “Now! Let’s transform and beat the rest!”

“You detransformed just for this!?” Nick precipitately sat up.

“Quick!” She rushed him.

    But then, both heard a footstep… The shadow, representing the familiar feline figure, was cast on the floor. They looked back to the way they two as **Hybrid** just ran on… Standing at the corner was Benjamin Clawhauser, the cheetah ZPD officer.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 02/06/18: Just so you know, the recap section is not canon. It’s just a way I poke fun at the tv series tropes “Previously on brah brah”.  
> \- I started to be curious about how rating system works. I mean I don’t use strong language or put sexual content in this fic but it sure has violence, so can it still be pg rating? Like power rangers, despite violence or fight scenes, it’s still a pg show. Even masked rider shows have scenes where characters got stabbed although there’s no blood and they are sunday morning shows aiming for kids. Am I supposed to change the rating of this fic?  
> 04/06/18: I changed the wolf design from vertical black circuit pattern on abdomen to two black thunderbolt stripes mirroring each other because... you'll see


	9. Dawn

**Judy** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

**Nick** : Our works aren’t gonna go smoothly, are they? There have always been other stuffs keeping interrupting us from investigation. This time, we were sent to participate a school assembly about dangers in Zootopia, which include the monsters, Savages.

**Judy** : Anyway, what should we do!? Clawhauser saw us wearing MidniDriver!

**Nick** : Use the force to erase his memory?

**Judy** : Like heck we can do that!!

**Nick** : Let’s find out what will happen next in Chapter 9!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

The sunlight cast a shadow of the roundish cheetah onto a narrow path between school buildings where the doe rabbit knelt beside the tod fox propping on one elbow. They turned their heads towards the male feline, panicking as they were still wearing the transformation gear on their waists even though they had already detransformed.

    The doe pondered what excuse sounded most believable, but then again, she and the tod had these arm-sized black devices with sticking out purple circle core in the center, silver syringe on the left and maroon motorbike handle on the right.

“Oh hey, Clawhauser~ Ah, you see-” Nick tried to explain, hustling his way out like old days.

“Can you get up, Nick? Let me give you paw.” Clawhauser unexpectedly walked towards the pair to help the fox up together with the rabbit. “And What about you, Judy? Are you hurt?”

“Aren’t you-” She touched her  **Driver** , “-shocked?” voice expressing her confusion.

“I’m surprised indeed but I sorta see this coming.”

“H-H-How?” Judy wondered what Clawhauser meant by saying ‘see this coming’.

“Well, it’s clearly Nick’s voice in doe bunny’s figure… Easy guess.”

Taken aback, she got mind blown by the big cat’s honest words, turning to her partner slowly with raising one eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t like to admit it, but he’s right.” Nick nodded, lips compressing.

“Eh?” She frowned. Suddenly, something popped into head. “Hold on a sec! Clawhauser, how could you pass through  **Savage** s out there?”

“Ah… The thing is… They all were just finished off.”

“What!?” The duo bawled in unison.

_ It has been only a brief period! Impossible!  _ The bewildered doe and tod could not believe their ears, but then they recalled the recent event.

_ “I’ll take care of the rest.”  _ That was what the mysterious silver chrome wolf said.

_ Did- Did he really kill those  _ **_Savage_ ** _ s in this short amount of time? _ They speculated.

-. . .-- / .... . .-. --- / .- .-. .-. .. ...- . …

After a  **Savage** incident, the officers and the agents went back to check on civilians especially students. The reinforcement which Jasmine called earlier came to clean up the school since there were no monster to fight anymore. On a side note, the mysterious wolf was gone...

“We,  **SCU** , will handle the rest. You guys may leave if you want.”

“Thanks, Jasmine. Late-”

“Wait!” A yell interrupted Judy. The revived white horse, Maximus, loped closer to ZPD trio and his feline subordinate. He had taken off his uniform shirt because it was stained with black liquid.

“Thank you, Hopps, Clawhauser, for your time. Fox...” He stared at Nick, who prepared for insults at him. “Thanks… When children asked us what happens after death, I don’t even know what to say although I was the one who brought the subject up.” He, arm akimbo, rubbed his blond mane troubledly.

“Owing to me, we dodged that bullet~” Nick gave himself credit.

“‘Taking indefinite leave for a sleep’ huh?" Judy quoted her partner.

“Yeah~” Nick confirmed that they were his words. “I wish I could take a long vacation leave to sleep all day~”

“I’d send you straight to hospital bed, lazy fox! I guarantee you won’t wake up any time soon.”

“Awe, I’ll pass. I’d hate not to wake up, not to see your gorgeous smile~”

The doe rabbit blushed at the tod’s rejoinder, her long ears reddening.

“If your work here is done, get lost, Fox!” Stallion about-faced angrily.

“Excuse me!” the doe held him back.

“Ah, sorry!” The horse rapidly turned around. “Where’re my manners? You must be busy, so see you later, Clawhauser, Hopp-”

“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Nick. He has a name. Stop calling him Fox!”

A feeling of unease came over the tigress. She had predicted this incident would occur one day. Her current leader was not a bad mammal (Diligent and dedicated) but he could be obnoxious sometimes and finally, he got on her rabbit friend’s nerves.

“Only Fluff can call me Fox, Clever fox, Sly fox, you name it~” The tod, grateful to the doe for standing up for him, lightened up the mood.

“That’s not helping, Nick!”

“I’m sorry… Officer Wilde.” Maximus bowed. “Please, excuse me, I must get back to work.” He walked away.

“Good grief. Sorry.” Jasmine apologized for her leader, then “Hang on, boss!” caught up with him in a rush.

Three of the ZPD officers used this opportunity to greet students and teachers informally, taking photos with them, before leaving the school. Along the way in a police car which Judy was driving, they were having a private conversation.

“Basically, whenever you two transform, Nick’s soul will be transferred to Judy’s body?” Clawhauser, sitting humpbacked on back seat, asked to make sure.

“Who says red foxes have no soul?” On passenger seat, Nick jested.

“Does that mean Nick’s body would be left unconscious and defenseless?”

“Correct, it’s a huge drawback of  **Hybrid** .” Judy confirmed with the curious cheetah.

“And you have 3 forms in total? Light green torso one, police uniform one, and hooded tunic one” Clawhauser counted on his fingers.

“Yeah, more or less.” Nick tilted his head back.

“Just to be clear, we don’t mean to put ZPD logo on Police form. It just happens.” Judy waved her right paw around shoulder level.

“So, you use those Midnight... thingies to transform?”

“Bingo~ Jinx!” The duo coincidentally replied at the same time.

“One more question, where do you keep your morphers?”

“I carry mine with myself most of the time.” She gave a straightforward answer.

“H-How do you oftentimes carry something that big with you!?”

“I have my own method.” Judy frankly spoke.

“You heard her.” Nick delivered a deadpan response.

.--. . .-. ..-. . -.-. - / - --- --. . - .... . .-.

“In all honesty, you both are real heroes!”

“Shh!!” Nick and Judy placed one finger vertically over the lips.

Rabbit, fox and cheetah officers continued their conversation at the reception desk in the next day.

“Could you keep it down? This is Nick’s and my ultimate secret. Here’re our yesterday reports.” Judy handed Clawhauser the reports about previous day’s event.

“Toddangit, why so many assignments? Missing mammals, Night howlers, yadda yadda yadda.” Nick complained childishly.

“There! Speaking of missing mammals and Night howlers, you cracked the missing mammal cases and exposed ex-mayor Bellwether’s evil scheme when you, Judy, started working here in ZPD and you, Nick, wasn’t even a cop yet. Two of you are heroes who saved Zootopia back then!”

Judy was flattered by Clawhauser, rubbing her nose while averting her eyes.

All of a sudden, an idea came into Nick’s mind. “Carrots! There’s someone probably helpful we haven’t interrogated yet!”

-. . .-- / .-.. . .- -.. …

    Turning left and right to and fro in searching, Jackson Rajah the bengal tiger officer paced across ZPD’s hallway.

“Oh, Hi Jackson~” Clawhauser saw Rajah heading towards the reception desk.

“Hi Benjamin. Did you see Wilde, Hopps? I can’t find them anywhere.” The tiger had already checked those two’s cubicle but they were not there.

“Ah, they’ve just left. They said they found a new lead.”

Appalled by the fellow feline, “On their own!?” Rajah raised his voice.

Clawhauser plugged his ears with his fingers due to a loud sound. “Chill out! What’s going on?”

“I…” Rajah cleared his throat which turned sore after speaking up abruptly. “...may realize who’s behind this time missing mammals...”

..-. .-. .. --. .... - . -. .. -. --. / -.. .. ... -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.--

“Great to see you alive and wool, ma’am~”

“Oh ha ha, so funny.” A small white sheep inmate laughed dryly at Nick’s pun.

“I’m aware that you don’t wanna meet us, so better you cooperate, faster we can let you go-”

“Go where? Back to my cell? Senior Officer Hopps...” She interjected.

The police duo paid a visit to a correctional facility on the outskirts of Zootopia and at the time, they were interrogating a ewe sporting an orange prison uniform, ex-mayor Dawn Bellwether, inside a dim concrete interrogation room.

    Judy ignored questions from the mastermind behind one of the biggest crimes in Zootopia’s history. “Because you and your men used Midnicampum holicithias to produce a dangerous serum, I bet you know who John Silver is.”

“Pardon me, Midnight-what?” Bellwether, seated behind a steel table opposite to a pair of officers, asked.

“You really should just call it ‘Night howler’, Carrots.”

“I’m messing around~ I know Night howler’s a binomial name. Mind you, what do I gain by answering your questions?” The ewe sheep sneered.

“If you behave well, we might be able to reduce your punishment.” The bunny attempted to compromise.

“So I can get out of here quicker? Please~ I’d rather be safe ‘n cozy in here than live in society full of mammal freaks.” The sheep crossed her arms.

“Mammal freaks?” The fox looked perplexedly at her.

“Y’know, savaged- I mean  **Savage** s.” She quickly corrected herself. “Plus, the city is in bad shape. There’s no mayor, only committee as acting mayor. Who wants to be mayor when the city is under terrible circumstance-”

“Quit going off topic. Answer us. What relationship do you have with John Silver?” The bunny made a stern expression.

“Just to clarify, I do not collaborate with predators. Besides, that prosthetic armed bear is a drug lord. Why would he get involved with the pesticidal flowers back then? He may trade them now but that’s because they became illegal plants. What’s more, if we had indeed worked together, wouldn’t we have splintered when he learned my true goal?” She launched into a monologue.

_ Chatty as always… _ The twosome thought to themselves.

“In a nutshell, you do know him.” The fox summed up briefly. “He’s still just distributor. Why in the world would somebody buy loads of Night howlers from him? An antidote for the night howlers has already been created.”

“Oh, trust me. Night howlers can be used more than for concocting the serum. Oh wait, it’s not like you believe I’m telling the truth anyway.” The sheep tucked her left leg under her steel chair.

Eventually, both cops started to question how many percentage of what Dawn Bellwether said could be trusted.

“Tell me one thing, officers.” She demanded. “How do you ZPD and a security agency normally deal with  **Savage** s?”

Nick and Judy exchanged looks, supposing there was no harm in answering Bellwether this question; therefore, “Sending the specialized unit to eradicate them.” she replied.

“You mean ‘kill’ huh?” Bellwether lowered her gaze.

“Why?” Nick was suspicious of the sheep’s body language.

“Nothing~ That’s right… That might be the best solution. Good luck protecting innocent civilians, officers.” Bellwether stared at Nick and Judy back and forth.

It was obvious that she messed with the cops, which made the duo feel as if they were not supposed to waste their time with this ewe any longer. After prison wardens came to bring the ewe inmate back to her cell, the doe and the tod proceeded to another interrogation at a visiting room.

“Officer Hopps! Officer Wilde! I’ve been waiting for you!” A blue inmate costumed large golden brown lion greeted them cheerily.

“Good afternoon, former mayor Lionheart.” Judy greeted him back.

Calling this interrogation was not quite accurate. It was more like the duo were casually interviewing Bellwether’s predecessor, Leodore Lionheart, a culprit who imprisoned animals that turned savage during night howler incident, at a visitor table. They hoped to earn some useful information from him.

“We heard that you’ll be released from jail soon. Congratulations sir~” Nick congratulated him.

“Right~ All the hosting seminars really paid off.” Lionheart clasped his paws. He had volunteered for numerous community services, especially hosting seminars on political science. Moreover, he behaved himself well during his sentence. Consequently, his prison sentence was reduced.

“Thank you both. I’ve got inspiration to write a book about the time I falsely imprisoned 15 mammals, got arrested by the very first rabbit and fox officers, then sentenced to jail.”

“So... Mr. Lionheart, may I ask you about that? When you captured those animals...” Judy ended a pep talk.

“What about it?” He did not sound upset one bit.

Accordingly, she carried on. “Whom did you hire to capture the savage mammals back then?”

“My subordinate timberwolves. You’d have already known, shouldn’t you?”

“You didn’t hire any criminals, right?” She rephrased the question.

“Well, I was a mayor of Zootopia at that time. I had plenty of resources. No reason to spend more money than necessary. In fact, it helps misleading cops.”

“How?” Judy wondered.

“You may not know this, Officer Hopps, but more than a decade ago, there was an infamous kidnapper terrorizing the city; thus, the police officers except new recruits such as you would be misguided.” Lionheart elucidated.

“I see.” Nick nodded, causing Judy to wonder whether he seriously knew whom the lion referred to or not.

“Let me guess. You came here for some clues to solve the new missing mammal cases.”

“Uhh, well...” She was embarrassed to be read easily by the friendly yet imposing lion.

“I’m in here.” Lionheart leaned forward. “It’s highly probable that I’ve heard jailers or other inmates talking about the current situation in the outside world. Speaking frankly, with  **Savage** s roaming around the city right now, it’s not surprising if some mammals… disappear. We have no idea what they really are. Some rumors say they are aliens. Some say they are beings from different dimensions. Or even bio weapons. Nonetheless, many are convinced that these monsters came from Cliffside because it was the first place where they showed up, wasn’t it?”

He dropped a truth bomb… The truth that Judy was not aware of… Wrong. Actually, it was the the truth that no matter how well she knew in her heart of hearts, she did not want to acknowledge it… She would not like to think that mammals who had gone missing fell victim to  **Savage** s...

.--. --- - . -. - .. .- .-.. / -.-. --- -. -. . -.-. - .. --- -.

Nick and Judy expressed their gratitude to Lionheart for his time. They left the prison, hanging around the Rainforest District in the late afternoon to gather their thoughts before they returned to the station.

While experiencing the unique moist cool atmosphere, they gazed upon the 300-ft gothic clock tower which had not struck the bell for few years since the beginning of renovation. Nick was leaning against their police cruiser as Judy was organizing thoughts to take down notes with her trusty carrot pen.

“You still carry that pen around?”

“Yep. Why not? I even recorded the interrogation just now for relistening later.”

“But you didn’t notify them of recording.”

“In my defense, they didn’t ask~” Speaking tongue-in-cheek, she winked at the tod near her.

“Sly bunny~” He smirked.

She looked obliquely across the city road. Subsequently, something immediately grasped her attention. “Hey Nick, what kind of canine is he?”

He looked in the same direction as his partner. “Oh, that’s a St. Bernard, dog derived from wolf.” He identified breed of a grey shirted tan-pawed slender brown dog who astonished the doe since she had never seen this breed before. In fact, she had barely met dogs in general.

They observed the business casual St. Bernard, standing on a footpath, long enough to notice a red panda sneaking around him, so they stayed cautious in case the red panda was a pickpocket.

Shortly afterwards, a running plain white van came to a stop on roadside in front of the dog. At the same time, he brought out a handkerchief to cover his nose, then sprayed perfume at the red panda. She was tranquilized later on. He picked her up into the van before it immediately ran off.

Without second thought, the duo got in their cruiser to pursue the van. The police siren loudened reverberantly, driving the van to flee faster.

“Officer Wilde to dispatch! Officer Wilde to dispatch!”

The only response they received over the police radio was buzzing noise, which can be presumed that their signal got jammed.

“We won’t catch up with them-” Judy sounded anxious. She glanced at her canine partner reclining the passenger seat. “What are you doing?”

“Getting ready~” Nick putted on his  **MidniDriver** .

Knowing what he was up to, she putted on her driver. They subsequently transformed into  **Hybrid** Police form and summoned the automag, spinning its cylinder, sparks flying out.

Driver side car window was lowered.  **Hybrid** stuck the left paw with the pistol out of the car to shoot a shining tiny bomb. It exploded above the moving van, sending electromagnetic pulses throughout the vehicle system to instantly disable it. Luckily, thick mist helped concealing the armored blend’s presence.

    Right after the van stopped moving, a group of criminals hurried to get out of the white van.

“What about this lesser panda, sir!?” A middle-aged hyena asked the dog politely.

“Leave her. She’s just gonna slow us down. Now, move!” He ordered, letting others escape first, then soon followed.

**Hybrid** carefully stepped out of a car to avoid attention. Following that, they looked at the red panda in the abandoned van to make sure that she was safe. Once they confirmed her safety,  **Hybrid** chased the criminals straightaway.

    St. Bernard guided other mammals through a smooth grey stoned street. They turned around the corner, entering an alley between red brick townhouses.

    The armored bunny officer with a spiky yet fluffy fox tail hunted down the gang of animals who attempted kidnapping. When they went around the same corner,  **Hybrid** ’s legs stopped short as they found those criminals running towards a trip of caprid  **Savage** s. At that moment, they were in Police form. If they had used their pistol, there would have been a lot of risks that the bullets might accidentally hit the mammals.

    The duo were about to yell to the criminals in order to bring them to a halt. It turned out that they ran past the monsters which merely stood there on all fours and let them through.

    Lost for words, Nick and Judy tried to get their heads around what just happened. _ Why didn’t those monsters attack? _ Out of the blue, the  **Savage** s pounced on  **Hybrid** . Duo as one counterattacked by firing a gun. However, shots without aiming were hit-and-miss. Despite few bullet holes, the monsters persisted in assaulting the target.

    One  **Savage** bit on  **Hybrid** ’s right arm holding the pistol, one bit on the left leg, another shoved the front of  **Hybrid** with horns. Even though it did not hurt, it was tough for  **Hybrid** to move. In addition, the rest of a monster trip were on standby to attack.

    At the critical moment, a silver flash fell ahead of the united duo. The reflective paw grabbed the nape of the  **Savage** biting the arm with black armlet before yanking it away. Once  **Hybrid** ’s right arm was free, they promptly shot the nearby monsters in the heads.

**Hybrid** turned to look at the rescuer. It was the same silver chrome wolf they previously met. He threw the monster he was grabbing upward, then “Volt Strike” uttered calmly while crossing his arms above the head, both knifepaws glowing. When it dropped, he struck it with paw chops. It fell to lie on the floor, eventually breathing its last.

    The combined doe and tod had several big questions to ask but it was not a good time since they were facing the dangerous beasts.

“Duck!” Nick shouted to the wolf.

“I’m a wolf, not a duck.”

“Get out of the way!” He reworded.  **Hybrid** tossed the gun to hold in left paw and then raised it before the right paw twisted the handle back. “ CRITICAL BREAK ” The pistol fired a energy ball which later exploded similar to a firework. The beams came down to strike other caprid  **Savage** s.

    However, some of them survived  **Hybrid** Police form’s finishing move, skedaddling.  **Hybrid** charged off to pursue the remaining  **Savage** s.

“Sit tight,  **Hybrid** .” The wolf blocked the way, “Track down those  **Savage** s.” whispering through some sort of wireless communication.

“Bac-” “Back off, wolf.” The fox in rabbit’s body said out loud to drown out her voice.

“Don’t call me a wolf! How rude! Name is Bolt.” Jokingly offended, he introduced himself, pointing thunderbolt strips on his abdomen. “Shouldn’t you do your fuzz job? Taking care of the victim first? Leave the rest to me.”

“He got a point. Plus, he can defeat multiple  **Savage** s on his own… Fuzzy fuzz.” Nick told Judy softly.

She sighed, somewhat fed up with the situation, not to mention his pun.

Ultimately,  **Hybrid** headed back to the van prior to the wolf vanishing.

.- -. --- - .... . .-. / .--. .-. --- - . -.-. - --- .-.

At a later time,

“Where is Sir. Pan?”

“He’s left.” The hyena replied.

From an outside perspective, mammals were meeting up on a mezzanine with stair in an old warehouse beside Rainforest District’s river.

“Is there anyone following us?”

“I don’t think so. Even if there is, that mammal must be stupid-”

“Hi~” A fruity male voice came from an entrance of a warehouse, preceding a white tundra wolf entering the warehouse. “So, this is your hideout huh? I have couples of questions for your boss. Is he here?” He unzipped his groovy black leather jacket.

After the mammals on the mezzanine shared a look, they bursted out laughing.

“Alone!? What a joke. Like a moth to a flame.” The hyena scoffed at the uninvited guest while two mammals descended the stairs to shut a gate.

Next, few caprid  **Savage** s came out of the shadows to surround the wolf. Indicated by healing burn marks on their skins, they were the same ones that encountered  **Hybrid** earlier and survived. The fleering criminals expected him to be horrified.

“Argh! Thank you!” Unanticipatedly, he grew relieved. “I prefer fists to do the talking. Mittens, hack security cams. I’m gonna have some fun.” Seemingly, he talked to himself, rolling up his jacket right sleeve.

“Switch on” The wolf uttered calmly. 

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/06/18: Is it just me or Rainforest District has impression of United Kingdom, like quite rainy? By the way, it's been 5 months since I posted the first chapter. I gonna try release new chaps faster... I hope.


	10. Doubts Drop Dead

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia~

 **Judy** : Our pal, Benjamin Clawhauser, became the first mammal who knows we are Hybrid.

 **Nick** : First mammal in a force.

 **Judy** : That’s because you told Finnick our secret! Anyhow, in order to acquire more clues for cracking the cases, we conducted interrogations with… ‘well known’ former mayors of Zootopia, Leodore Lionheart and Dawn Bellwether.

 **Nick** : It was more of an interview with ex-mayor Lionheart though. And hey Carrots, whenever we transform, there will be purple steam everywhere right? What about transforming in a car while driving? Would that be fine?

 **Judy** : If it’d not been fine, we would have failed to see and crashed the car.

 **Nick** : Huh… that’s convenient.

 **Judy** : Now the chapter 10!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

Later that night, Judy, wearing a mauve & light blue stripe t-shirt, spent her time alone in her small greasy walled apartment, concerned about the silver chrome wolf.

 _That metallic wolf… Who is he? Is he a friend or…? He did save us… twice…, still how come he knows about Nick’s passed out body? about that_ **_Hybrid_ ** _is actually a cop?_

A ringtone interrupted Judy’s thoughts. She immediately picked her smartphone up from a desk, clearly seeing a phone screen showing that her parents were calling her.

She shook her head to get rid of a distraction in her mind before answering the phone. “Oh hey, mom, dad” She beamed at a rabbit couple facetiming over the phone, Bonnie and Stu Hopps.

“Hi Jude the Dude!” A middle-aged sire rabbit called his daughter by a nickname.

“Hello sweetheart! How have you been?” A doe rabbit in her fifties or sixties asked after her girl. No sooner had Judy replied than Bonnie asked a further question. “Have you received a package yet?”

“Ah, the package! Yes, I have. Thank you guys”

“It seems your friend really likes blueberries from our farm. That’s why we mailed a dessert.” Stu said blithely.

“A dessert?” Judy’s eyes widened a bit, nose twitching slightly.

“I hope post office took a good care of it.” He chortled happily.

    Judy laughed along dryly, glancing down. “How is it over there, at home?” She moved onto another subject.

“Great!” Bonnie responded. “Numerous opaque large-scale greenhouses were built around a neighborhood, probably by investors from other cities. We haven’t talked with folks working there much.”

“Are you alone?” Stu popped in frame.

“Yes, dad”

“Like alone alone? Single?” Bonnie bumped into the frame.

“Mom~ I’m too busy to date.”

“But Jude, you already have a successful career. What’s more, you’re almost 30…, interested in a relationship?”

    Judy said to herself that not long ago, her father was still very protective of his daughter, stopping every buck from flirting with her. As of lately, he however encouraged her to get in a relationship.

“Who would have enough patience to go out with a workaholics such as me?”

“I’d say a cute girl like you truly are an eligible bachelorette.”

    Smiley embarrassed by her mother, Judy rubbed the back of her neck while the other paw holding the phone.

“Just don’t overwork yourself, hon. You look somewhat worn-out.”

“W-Worn out?” The bunny cop was stunned when the dam remarked.

“And don’t forget to have enough sleep.” Stu advised.

“It’s quite late now. Bye bye, honey.” Bonnie said.

“Do I look drained?” Before Judy could ask, her father pressed the screen to hang up.

“Do I really look that worn out!?” She cried out alone in her small apartment room.

“Get your grit together, bunny!” Her oryx neighbor next door bellowed. The loud voice penetrated through a thin wall.

“Leave coppa alone! She’s already stressed out from tired face and being single!” His roommate, a kudu, argued heatedly.

    Oryx and kudu neighbors started shouting at each other.

“Oh, shut up!” “You shut up!” “You shut up!”

    Meanwhile, dispirited bunny’s head fell weakly on the desk.

    Even in the next morning,

“Um, instead of uncomfortable desk, Bun bun can burrow your face into my shoulder~”

    Judy buried her face against her arms resting on office desk, still so disheartened that she did not respond to her fox partner’s pun.

“Nick… am I still cute?”

“Hmm?” Nick wondered why Judy suddenly asked him something rather offensive for rabbits like her, then he smirked. “No”

    One syllable word stung the tough optimistic bunny… hard.

“But you are adorable~” He just teased her. Nevertheless, the damage had been done on the poor doe, soul crushed.

    Eyes fixing on his little best prey friend, Nick took a sip from a coffee mug in his paw and then licked the coffee stained upper lip, tongue touching predatory sharp teeth, before swallowing coffee aftertaste along with saliva caused by excessive mouth watering.

-.. --- ..- -... - …

    The pudgy cheetah police officer, Clawhauser, was eating a bowl of cereal while some of officers, grouping together around ZPD reception desk, were chatting.

“Did you hear the news?”

“About dead bodies in one of the Rainforest district’s warehouses?”

“Yeah. Who’s in charge of that case?”

    Clawhauser chewed down a mouthful of cereal quickly, “Delgato, Francine and Detective Basil” then answered.

“Their DNA samples were found a match in criminal records.”

“Those criminals murdered each other?”

“They might get into a fight as a result of conflict of interest.”

“No honor among thieves, I guess.”

    They continued to discuss the massacre when a bengal tiger cop, Jackson Rajah, nudged through them. “Mornin’ Benjamin. Have you seen Wilde, Hopps yet today?” He laid his arms on the reception desk.

“Mhm. They’re at their cube.” Clawhauser replied before taking a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

“Thanks, bud” Rajah hurried out as Clawhauser waved his paw.

“WildeHopps, there you are!” He arrived at Nick’s and Judy’s cubicle in no time.

Judy raised her head to look at a feline visitor. “Sup, Rajah.” Nick welcomed him casually.

The bengal tiger inspected the fox and the rabbit. “You two are alright huh? That’s a relief.” He held his paw over his chest.

The duo were confused about the cause of Rajah’s worry. “What’s wrong?” Judy expressed her concern.

Rajah looked around. He then decided “Let’s talk somewhere more private.” to lead Nick and Judy to a vacant interview room. “First off, I’m not doubting your abilities. You both are excellent but… next time you go out to investigate the missing mammal cases, don’t go it alone.” He opened the door, letting the pair enter the room first before he followed close behind.

“Did you find something crucial?” After the door was closed, Judy inquired.

“Although it’s just a hypothesis, -” Rajah went to sit on a chair. “-the mastermind behind mammals gone missing this time probably is Peter Pan.”

“The same kidnapper who abducted numerous animals more than ten years ago?” Nick shared a seat with his partner, sitting opposite to the larger mammal.

    Judy, turning to look at the fox next to her, recalled the previous day conversation with former mayor Lionheart about the same topic right away.

Rajah nodded, which indicated ‘yes’. “Despite advances in technology, there are patterns similar to those in the past.” He spoke earnestly.

“Pattern?”

Rajah nodded twice to Judy. “Victims were on the ground level. Their size ranged from small to large. In addition, for small mammal victims, there’d be a tendency to be kidnapped in groups or families. Most of them were barely injured because of the use of anesthesia rather than force in abduction. Another thing is signal jamming.” He explained, stroking his chin shortly afterwards. “Not sure this time, it’s a copycat or those using the same kidnapping method. If that dog’s really back…, he still prefers doing the works on himself to letting his men do them… I guarantee.” Averting his gaze, he got into analysis.

Nick was suspicious when Rajah could specify the kidnapper’s subspecies, still he was more bothered by the words ‘really back’. “What does it mean by that? He’s back? Like- he was released from jail? But shouldn’t prison sentence for first degree abduction last around twenty years?” He posed questions.

“Well, the thing is… the mastermind kidnapper has never got caught.” Rajah made Nick even more skeptical why the tiger knew what kind of mammals the criminal is even though he had not been caught.

    The case was long before this feline officer joined the police force. Furthermore, how would the dropped case have this much detailed info?

    Judy felt like there were a lot to process at once. “You seem to… know quite a lot.” The simpering bunny remarked.

    The bengal tiger opened his mouth, about to say something, but then he shut his mouth fast, turning aside. “Hmm… Nevermind, no reason to keep it a secret from you anyway.” He turned to look straight at the rabbit and the fox. “The truth is… I was one of Pan’s kidnapping victims.” He stated, appalling the duo. “I got kidnapped when I was a teenager.” He continued.

“H-H-How did ya escape the ki-kidnapping back then!?” Judy stammered.

“About that-” Rajah was going to answer. However, “Jackson! Come to the lobby! Quick!” He was called on personal radio by Clawhauser.

“C-Copy that!” After he replied on his radio, he ran off hastily.

Because Nick and Judy sensed panic in Clawhauser’s voice, both rushed to follow their tiger coworker.

“What’s going on?” As quick as a wink, Rajah reached ZPD’s lobby where Grizzoli the polar bear officer was waiting for his partner. During the time, other large mammal officers such as elephants and rhinos headed out to a parking lot in haste.

“ **SCU** ’s calling for reinforcements.” Grizzoli took a long step but before he could take another step.

“Wait!” The tiger stopped the bear. “ **SCU** need our help? Normally, it should be us contact them when **Savage** s show up-”

“I’ll tell you on the way. Now, hurry!”

    On that note, two male predator officers ran off.

“Let’s follow them.” Judy suggested.

“You’d better not go. It’s dangerous for small mammals like y-” Behind the reception desk, Clawhauser paused when he remembered the duo’s alter ego. “Oh, that’s right. You both should go. Still! If others see you at the scene, you’ll be in trouble!” He leaned over the desk.

    Contemplating, Judy somewhat agreed with him. Meanwhile, Nick glanced at the entrance which officers dashed out, “Just not letting anyone spot us is more than enough. C’mon, Carrots.” beckoning to her with a grin on his face.

    Clawhauser watched the pair sprinting out of the station. They sneaked into a truck of one larger mammals’ police car before it hit the road.

.. -. ..-. --- / -.. .-. --- .--.

“Polic- I mean- **SCU** agents! Drop your weapons!” Wolford the timber wolf shouted through a megaphone.

    Several **SCU** vans were parked scatteredly in front of a bank in Savanna Central. The fully geared **SCU** agents surrounded four bank robbers, which was certainly strange because these agents were less likely to deal with animal criminals directly. On top of that, the majority of agents did not have police background. As a result, they would not exactly know what to do in this type of situations.

    The police finally arrived at the scene and as for the bunny fox duo, they sneaked out of a car, hiding from others to avoid being heard or noticed. Luckily, the duo were so small that they remained unnoticed under disorder.

“What’s the situation?” One of the officers, a rhino to be more specific, inquired.

A goateed peru tan billy goat agent approached the cops. “There’s a bank robbery. Four bad guys. As far as we’re aware, no hostage. We’ve surrounded them.”

“That’s it? No offense but why do you, **SCU** , bother to meddle with matter like this?” The rhino asked the goat.

The goat agent chuckled, “If that’s all, we’d be so pleased.” stroking his goatee as they were walking closer to the scene.

“Put down your guns and slowly back off from a **Savage**.” Fangmeyer the bengal tigress, possessing experiences of negotiation with criminals, megaphoned worriedly.

    The armed robbers were standing very next to a feral purple bear monster, **Savage** , outside the robbed bank. It clawed a road surface, showing how sharp its claws were, growling at the agents as a fierce warning.

    Many agents would not dare to attack the purple beast, scared of bad outcome that stray bullets, specially made for shooting down **Savage** s, might hit the robbers; thus, they waited for the mammal criminals to pull away from the monster. Even so, surprisingly, this **Savage** did not lay a finger on the nearby mammals or those criminals. And even more surprising, they seemed... unafraid of it one bit.

    Sensing a bad situation, Nick and Judy hastened to find a hiding spot within a community building area across the street from the bank. Once they found a place to hide, a narrow pathway between buildings like always, they put on the arm-sized morpher devices, **MidniDriver** , around their waists.

“DRAW BLOOD” The device on Nick’s waist spoke robotically when he pulled a syringe on the device’s left side. After a dose of fox blood was transferred to Judy’s syringe, she pressed her syringe. “INJECT” Her morpher also spoke in the same robotic manner. She then extended her arms to support Nick falling asleep standing up, laying him down gently on the ground.

“Transform” Judy, rising elegantly, announced while twisting back the handle on device’s right side. “IGNITE” The morpher caused the purple mist explosion, transforming her body into a flamingo red bio-armored doe rabbit with fox features, **Hybrid Hustler form**.

    **Hybrid** left Nick’s body, running down the path which twisted and turned through the area. After turning around one corner, the united duo came across a white tundra wolf civilian.

“Holy Crumpets! **Hybrid**!?” The wolf, wearing a black jacket, hurtled towards the armored mammal with excitement. “Is this a dream!? I’m meeting superhero in the flesh!? Unbelievable!” Kneeling down, he shook paws wildly.

    Despite being flattered by the word ‘superhero’, both Nick and Judy were stunned, wondering how a civilian got there. **SCU** should already have evacuated civilians from the area.

“May we take a selfie? Please! I need an evidence to show others. Please!” The wolf held a metallic paw tight. At the moment the anxious bunny hoping that he would not run into Nick’s unconscious body, soft metal long ears responded to a roar from the bank.

“Cut it out!” A slender black and tan jackal robber shouted at his brown ferret partner in crime who merely stood still and plugged his right ear hole, instead of the bear monster that was making loud noise.

    The ursid **Savage** started to wriggle in pain, shedding fur on front legs, its back arching, mouth drooling while spikes were poking out from a spine, and to top it off, hard shells coming out to cover the front legs. In a nutshell, this **Savage** was mutating.

    It snatched a sport bag from the jackal robber by biting. The bag full of money was shaken off violently, ripped apart, sending banknotes inside flying everywhere. Seeing that, the agents and the officers put on alert, drawing out their firearms. Some agents crouched down. One picked up a few banknotes on the road.

“What in the world is happening!?” The jackal bawled.

“Wer-were we tricked to buy a low quality junk?” The ferret tapped his right ear repeatedly.

“Motherf-” All of a sudden, the jackal was smacked on the side by the bear **Savage**.

The **SCU** agents quickly caught the robber flung over towards them.

    Nick and Judy, hearing a commotion, determined they must hurry up.

“Freaking kidding me!?” The wolf abruptly changed his expression from excited to annoyed, letting go of the armored mammal’s paw.

“Is it expired already?” He stood up, “What a waste of time” and facepalmed.

    The duo were puzzled by the wolf’s sudden change of demeanor. He subsequently appeared as if he came to realization that he broke his character, grunting.

“Go ahead, **Hybrid**.” The wolf moved up to the wall, giving way. “I’ll help.”

“Help?” Nick quizzed.

    The wolf rolled up his jacket right sleeve, then brushed fur on under forearm, which revealed a zipper. When he unfastened it, the duo got a glimpse of mechanism underneath the skin.

“Switch on” He uttered calmly, pulling a lever inside his arm to ‘on’.

Electrical sparks ran around the wolf. After one quick flash of his white fur, a silver chrome wolf was standing where the white tundra wolf was earlier. He had a black bar over his eyes, solar panels on both chest and shoulders, and two thunderbolt stripes on abdomen. His appearance matched the wolf who helped **Hybrid** a couple of times, the one calling himself ‘Bolt’.

“What are you waiting for? Let’s roll!” Bolt started running to head out of the community building zone. As for **Hybrid** , the duo casted the revelation aside, pressing the syringe “ACTIVATE” to jump high over the buildings, across the street.

While **SCU** agents together with ZPD officers were firing bullets at the bear monster, which was not so effective since it used its hard shelled arms to deflect the shots, a very next image that they viewed was the flamingo red armored mammal moving fast through the air, causing them to cease firing. **Hybrid** then kneed the **Savage** in the flank.

“Out of my way!” All at once, a shout attracted attention of members in the armed forces. When they turned to focus on the source of voice, they found a silver chrome wolf darting across the street, sliding across the hood of one of the police cars, front flipping over a **SCU** van.

All the officers and agents wondered the same thing. _Who is this wolf?_

“Everyone remains calm~” Nick turned **Hybrid** ’s body to face the fellow cops and the **SCU** team, acting cool as much as possible.

Soon afterwards, there came a yelp contrasting to his previous pretentious cool tone because the arching back purple bear beast, standing on two hind legs, grabbed **Hybrid** ’s bushy tail.

“How dare you touch my tail!?” Nick violently pressed the syringe without delay. “ACTIVATE” Tail furs formed penetrating spikes, stabbing through bear hardened paws.

Bear Savage, screaming in pain, rapidly drew its paws back. Following that, dense purple vapor gusted out from holes all over the pierced paws.

“Nick, if you hate to be touched on tail this much, how come you allowed me to touch your tail?” Judy whispered.

“Cuz you’re my special mammal~” He answered softly, making the doe blush as he felt the heat radiating throughout the face.

    At almost the same time, Bolt seized the opportunity, closing in on **Savage**. It swung its paw but the wolf bobbed down before it could slap him. He threw a straight punch right in the middle of monster’s stomach.

    However, apparently, the monster only got mildly hurt. “Oh Wocka” When the wolf cursed, the bear embraced him in a bear hug.

    The armed mammals argued whether they should gun down the **Savage** along with the hugged silver wolf. At that moment, **Hybrid** jumped to the bank building and then leapt off the building wall to the monster.

    But before the duo could sneak attack the bear **Savage** , it launched spikes from its back to **Hybrid**.

    Being forced to play defense, **Hybrid** therefore spinned in midair to fend off the attack. After the quick spin stopped, Nick and Judy in same body saw Bolt being forcefully swung to them. **Hybrid** put guard up, preparing for impact.

    **Hybrid** as well as Bolt was flung away to land low on the ground. Shortly thereafter, they found that the bear monster turned to target the agents and the officers. It blocked the shots from hitting vital parts with the hard shells on its arms.

“Hey wolf” Nick called Bolt.

“I told you my name is Bolt.” He said offendedly.

    The duo ignored, “Once I give you a signal, do it.” The tod fox ordered.

    With the full suit which was also covering his face, it was unclear how Bolt felt as he was being ordered.

    When the bear **Savage** was charging at mammals of the armed forces, **Hybrid** sprinted to confront the monster. The mammals stopped shooting. With astonishment, they gazed upon **Hybrid** holding **Savage** back by pushing against one another .

The ground beneath the armored mammal started cracking due to full weight the bear pressed down on tiny bunny body.

“Now!” The fox in the doe body bawled.

    **Hybrid** exerted a strength, thrusting the ursid monster back. At the moment that it staggered backwards, upper body rising, “Accel” Bolt, voicing quietly, came in a flash to stand between the united duo and the bear.

“Volt Strike” Bolt spoke serenely, knifepaws glowing, then struck it.

    The bashed **Savage** fell over, vaporizing as it was meeting its end. Later on, the police intended to arrest the criminals while **SCU** team decided to capture **Hybrid**. Even so, they were not sure what to do with the mysterious silver wolf.

“Hang on. Where’ve those robbers gone!?” Grizzoli asked out loud.

“They must escaped during confusion.” The rhino officer made a tch sound. “Why didn’t you **SCU** guys keep an eye on them!? One of them even was hurled towards you!” He rebuked the agents.

“Oh sorry! It just so happens that it’s not a part of our job!” One **SCU** agent got sarcastic.

“Where in the hash’d **Hybrid** and that wolf go!?” The panicking goat agent put his hooves on his head.

-.. --- ..- -... - / .. ..-. / .. - / -... .

    In a few blocks away, the robbery criminals were striving to flee the cops.

“Alright, bro?” The brown ferret inquired after the slender jackal.

“I think my ribs are broken...” Holding one side of rib cage, the wounded black and tan canine tottered down the path.

“Where do you think you're going?”

    When Bolt, the silver chrome wolf, appeared behind the robbers, they bolted. As for the hurt jackal, he ran limply owing to the injury.

    After a bit, **Hybrid** jumped down right in front of the criminals, obstructing their path.

“Stay put until the police come~ Okay?” Nick said tenderly.

“Nah~ Better make them talk here” Bolt walked towards the jackal, “Who’s your dealer?” questioning him.

    _Dealer?_ The duo wondered what the wolf was talking about.

“I-I- I  don’t-!” The slender robber lurched away from Bolt. “-remember...”

“Fine~ Let’s try it again from the top.” Bolt, going nearer in an instant, lifted the injured jackal up by the throat. Consequently, the duo were going to bring him to a halt.

“Easy~ I got this. No need to worry~” Bolt pacified them, tilting his head to **Hybrid**. “How about we start with an easy question?” He turned to look directly at jackal’s face.

“When did you purchase **it**?” He questioned.

    Trembling in fear, the lifted jackal gasped for breath before replying. “A-a week ago!”

“Thanks for cooperation” Bolt jabbed the wounded robbery criminal in his chest.

    The medium-sized canine was sent flying in the same direction as the jab. Judy immediately activated an instant transmission ability, teleporting to catch him in mid air.

    After descending safe and sound, the united duo checked on the jackal, terrified as they found out that his heart had stopped beating.

“What the heck did you do to him!?” Judy vociferated. Her tone contrasted with the gentle way she laid the lifeless body down.

“Careful **Hybrid**. Your bunny is showing~” Bolt moved his head in the direction of the rest of criminals. “Who’s next? Better not lie or waste my time~” His right fist bopped left palm repeatedly, which caused the clangor.

“Mind stepping aside?” He asked when **Hybrid** came to stand in his way.

“We won’t let you harm anyone anymore.” **Hybrid** struck a fighting pose.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 23/06/18: Please leave comments or any feedback. I would like to know. Until next time~


	11. Defeat to overcomE

**Judy** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

 **Nick** : Right now, apart from John Silver, we at the ZPD have a new suspect in mammals’ disappearance, Peter Pan, a notorious abductor who terrorized Zootopia more than a decade ago. By the way, is it just me, or are Savages the monsters getting weirder and weirder each passing day?

 **Judy** : Point taken, the one from last chapter was sure uncanny.

 **Nick** : They’re all purple, glowing eyes, drooling everywhere. Some are so mutated like they leapt off the Cownenberg’s films.

 **Judy** : Not that kind of uncanniness! But rather its demeanor… Why in the world that bear Savage hadn’t attacked nearby bank robbers until it mutated, then started targeting them?

 **Nick** : But more importantly, let’s pick up where we left off! The wolf who helped us beat the monster went too far and killed one of the robbers. That’s not cool, especially for a hero. Shall we show him how a true hero should be, Carrots?

 **Judy** : I wouldn’t say I deserve the ‘hero’ title yet. Nevertheless, we need to stop him.

 **Nick & Judy**: Now the chapter 11!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

A breeze stirred dust into the tense atmosphere in Savanna Central as one of the escaping criminals that robbed the bank was killed by the silver chrome wolf, Bolt.

“Who’s next? Better not lie or waste my time~” Right fist bopping left palm repeatedly, Bolt targeted the remaining three robbery criminals.

“Mind stepping aside?” He asked when **Hybrid** came to stand in his way.

“We won’t let you harm anyone anymore.” **Hybrid** struck a fighting pose.

“Is that so?” Bolt, stepping back, distanced himself from the armored cross-bred mammal slowly. Subsequently, Nick and Judy, sharing one body, lowered **Hybrid** ’s guard in a slightly confused manner.

Abruptly, Bolt sprinted, then jumped over **Hybrid** , giving a mock salute while passing above the united duo.

“Oh no, you don’t.” Nick exclaimed.

 **Hybrid** reached upward to grab Bolt’s ankle in the air and then flung him forward. The fallen wolf rolled twice on the ground to decrease the force of the throw before crouching down firmly.

The robbers considered the situation quite dangerous; hence, they aimed to abscond, walking away furtively.

“Stop right there! You’re not going anywhere!” Judy turned around and shouted at them.

They promptly came to a halt. “Under dangerous circumstances, isn’t a hero like you supposed to let us civilians get out?” The brown ferret robber protested.

“First! I’m not a hero. Second! You three are all criminals! Not merely civilians! So drop the money bags and stay put till the police come!” She fulminated, pointing the flamingo red armored right index finger at the ferret.

“Watch it, bunny~” Bolt, still crouching down, told **Hybrid** … Actually, he specified Judy. “Dang~ Getting chatty all the sudden… adds another reason why I can’t let those guys go.” The wolf dashed forwards. It looked like he was going after those three robbers again.

 **Hybrid** hopped in front of Bolt to block his way. Strong rabbit legs allowed the armored mammal to jump high enough to the wolf’s eye level with ease.

Unfortunately, it seemed that he predicted it. Bolt stretched his left arm out and took hold of **Hybrid** ’s face in one paw in mid air. The two amethyst stylish headlamps for eyes of **Hybrid** were covered by the big silver chrome palm.

Bolt then slammed **Hybrid** on the ground but before the doe rabbit body hit the concrete floor, **Hybrid** , paws extended, pushed the floor. Judy, taking control of the body, leglocked around the wolf’s left arm, which made him lose his balance for a moment. Next, she, exerting a force to pull the legs along with the wolf downward, quickly threw him sprawling on the ground.

 **Hybrid** unwrapped the legs around Bolt’s arm, rolling away from him to put some distance before standing up.

“I see.” Bolt raised himself gradually, “When it comes to pure strength, I’m no match for **Hybrid** light green form.” brushing dirt on him off. “But I know just a thing to make up for it~” He sounded amused, then “Accel” uttered calmly.

Following that, the united duo saw Bolt briefly becoming a blur before they, facing up to the sky, flew away as if **Hybrid** had just got hit… Not as if… In reality, **Hybrid** had just unpreparedly got kicked in the front so hard that the armored mammal flew away and fell down on the ground.

 **Hybrid** hastily kicked up. When the duo regained **Hybrid** ’s feet, they caught sight of the silver flash, Bolt approaching the armored mammal in a split second. **Hybrid** hurriedly backed away from Bolt by a jump. However, the wolf closed in like greased lightning, throwing a right hook punch at **Hybrid** who was still floating above the ground from jumping. The partners as one instinctively blocked his punch with the left arm.

As the punching force sent **Hybrid** to land on feet not far away, the armored rabbit feet rubbed against the concrete floor, leaving visible marks of friction. The left arm was shaking even though they did not feel the punch impact was that strong.

Not having time to take a breath, **Hybrid** was pursued by Bolt battering the armored mammal with fists. No time for thinking at all, the duo could only rely on the reflex to block the attack, waiting for a perfect opportunity to “  ACTIVATE ” press the syringe with the right paw in order to activate super strength and counterpunch the silver wolf.

Nevertheless, Bolt took a step back in time to avoid a blow. At that particular moment, Nick and Judy got a glimpse of electric sparks coming off from his paws. Simultaneously, they found that the left arm they used to block previous attacks turned numb.

“That wolf used electricity to attack…?” Nick murmured.

“Pretty much explain how he killed those **Savage** s and the robber over there.” Judy casted a glance at the jackal criminal lying lifelessly.

In the jackal’s case, Bolt could send electricity running through the jackal’s heart, resulting in it beating irregularly, which led to heart failure.

 **Hybrid** ’s arm eventually recovered after shaking off. Subsequently, Bolt came at **Hybrid** again. This time however, Nick “ ACTIVATE” teleported **Hybrid**. He merely responded to the thought that it was unacceptable to let his partner’s body keep on taking damages despite rapid healing.

When **Hybrid** instantly moved to behind the silver chrome wolf, “Double Accel” he, uttering calmly, turned back and jumped like blazes on the armored mammal. The cross-breed was kicked in the side. The momentum sent **Hybrid** flying to fall down nearby the robbery criminals.

Dumbfounded, both Nick and Judy could not believe that the wolf was able to react to an instant transmission almost at once. At that point, Bolt leapt towards **Hybrid** , taking Judy’s breath away. She was quite freaking out, so Nick decided to take a full control of the body “ACTIVATE” to activate enhanced speed, skedaddling like a scared rabbit.

He came to a stop several feet away from Bolt, who was in fact not after **Hybrid** but the remaining three criminals instead. “I’m not done with these guys yet~ Wouldn’t mind if I take them with me, right?” The silver wolf carried them by force, sending non-fatal electric current through their brains to knock them out in order to prevent struggling. They dropped the money bags while losing consciousness.

A few moments later, a SUV car for rhino species arrived close by the wolf carrying the passed out mammals. “Ciao~” Bolt exclaimed. He got in a car, dragging others including the jackal dead body in, before the car left.

Afterwards, **Hybrid** ’s long rabbit ears picked up sound, Nick guessing that police and SCU team were heading towards them because they were not far from the scene of bank robbery, which it would be strange if those officers and agents did not hear the noise of battle.

“Carrots, we need to move now.”

“M-mhm” Judy got hold of herself, running off into a community building area.

 **Hybrid** detransformed, Nick and Judy then sneaked into trucks of two separated police cruisers. They returned to ZPD station before Judy decided to leave work early…, leaving Nick alone at the station.

-.. . ..-. . .- - . -..

Since the previous day, the doe rabbit officer had barely talked. When the tod fox arrived at their cubicle in the morning, she was already there…, sitting quietly all by herself.

Nick sat down on a office chair next to her with an intention to initiate conversation. In spite of that, “Back then...” Judy was the one who broke the awkward silence.

“I was so scared… felt completely at a loss.” She, trembling, referred to the fight with Bolt the silver chrome wolf.

“I totally forgot about those three mammals… If they end up with the same fate as that jackal, it’s… it’s my fault.” She raised her legs, hugging her knees up to the chest.

“Judy...” Nick called his partner worriedly by her real name… not a nickname as usual.

The fox thought to himself. _Although the mammal who ran away without second thought like a coward was me, she blames herself…_ He did not wish to see his bunny suffer… He reached his right paw out to the bunny with a desire to comfort her.

Before Nick could lay his paw on Judy, his stomach rumbled loud enough to attract her attention.

“Haven’t eaten breakfast yet?” Cracking an awkward smile, she turned to her fox partner covering his tummy embarrassedly. “Let’s feed the beast in your belly.” She hopped off her chair.

“Way to go, dumb tum” He, sarcastically mumbling at his tummy, got off his chair as well, following the doe out of their small work area.

At the reception desk, Clawhauser the chubby cheetah officer had been concerned about Judy since he saw her drooping on previous day. He did not think he had the guts to ask what happened.

When the duo ambled through ZPD lobby, Clawhauser called to them. “Judy! Nick! Where are you going?”

They consequently swerved to the feline officer. “We’re gonna get some grub.” Nick replied while Judy was beaming at Clawhauser despite her evident droopy ears.

“May I go along with you two?” The cheetah begged.

Nick stood a glance at the doe, coming to a decision. _Right now, She needs her friends._ “Sure thing, pal” Putting paws in his pockets, he smirked.

.-- --- .-. .-. -.-- / .- -. -.. / -.-. --- -. -.-. . .-. -.

In one fast food restaurant of Bug-Burga franchise, Tundratown, Judy was reserving a table, sitting on an adult high chair for small mammal. To be frank, it was odd to see a herbivore prey such as her in a place best known for serving insect protein food for predators.

Meanwhile, Nick and Clawhauser were waiting near the counter for their ordered meals and a vegan smoothie which the cheetah gladly bought for the bunny.

“It’s the same as before.” Clawhauser, standing next to Nick, said.

The fox turned to the big cat who kept looking toward a french fry station behind the counter.

The feline officer continued, “After that three years ago press conference of missing mammals, she has been blaming herself for starting conflict between predators and preys… although Bellwether was culprit turning predators savage.

Even when you two saved the city by discovering the truth, which ultimately led to creating an antidote for the night howler serum and many praising you, calling you heroes...” speaking distressedly.

“She still doesn’t accept the title ‘hero’... because guilt complex keeps haunting her...” Nick was fully aware of the rest of the story. He as well as Clawhauser received their meals over the counter before returning to their table.

“Here’s your smoothie, Judy.” The cheetah placed a small cup of berry smoothie, equivalent to rabbit’s large cup, right in front of the doe.

“Thanks a lot” She expressed her gratitude, taking hold of the drink.

“Don’t mention it” The cheetah beckoned like a kitty cat.

During the time that the predatory cops were noshing, especially Clawhauser chomping on his bug burger, Nick, chewing ground-up insects with soft buns, gazed upon Judy sipping her smoothie absent-mindedly.

“In case you feel uncomfortable, let me know. I can accompany you to outside. Patty smell in here is rather strong.” The fox told his bunny partner, worried that meat or insect- heavy restaurant atmosphere might discomfort a prey like her.

“I’m fine.” The bunny drew a straw away from her mouth. “Actually, I feel better. The smell in here somehow… help clearing my mind...” She looked around, watching predators other than her friends sinking their sharp fangs into their food.

Clawhauser initially wanted to ask the duo about the mysterious silver chrome wolf but seeing Judy emotionally confused, he would rather inquire some other time. As for Nick, “Carrot-” he wished to reach out to her.

But suddenly, there was a clamor from a next-door shop. Responsibilities kicking in, three of the officers subsequently rushed out to check, discerning mammals in the fishmonger’s shop stampeding.

“ **Savage**! **Savage**!” Some cried.

“Where!?” The cops speedily got closer, turning left and right swiftly to in search of the monster.

When their eyes laid on a small purple furball sticking to the wall, they discerned what it was, a squirrel with independently mobile eyes of chameleon and toes covered in tufts of tiny hairs, **Savage** without a doubt.

“Oh, it looks so puny.” Nick sounded let-down.

“Regardless of the size, it’s still a threat. Benjamin, keep an eye on the situation.” Judy, dragging Nick, hastened to the nearest alleyway where there was nobody else.

No word is needed. The tod, perceiving the doe’s objective, belted a **MidniDriver** morpher around his waist. When she was about to put on hers, “Boy, rabbits sure are fast.” the panting cheetah, tired from running, appeared at the mouth of the alley.

“What!? Why are you here!?” She was startled by the big cat.

“I wanna witness transformation with my own eyes.” He made big ‘please’ eyes.

Sighing, “If that’s so, please look after Nick” she put on the morpher.

“Say what?” The cheetah wondered what the bunny meant while the fox “DRAW BLOOD” pulled the silver syringe on the left side of his transformation gear.

“Catch me, Clawhauser” Out of the blue, the fox leant backward, so the cheetah leapt in to catch the falling fox.

The bunny “INJECT” pressed her syringe, causing her partner to fall asleep by the time he was caught by the fellow feline. “Transform” She announced, drawing cheetah’s attention, before twisting the handle back “IGNITE”.

“Hot! Hot! Hot!” Clawhauser, carrying an unconscious canine, moved farther away from Judy swallowed by scorching purple mist. He gaped at a morpher’s core light shining in a thick fog followed by light of two headlamps at doe rabbit’s eye level.

Once the mist faded away, a flamingo red armored amalgamation between a fox and a rabbit with light green torso and grayish-tan lower body, **Hybrid** Hustler form, was revealed.

 **Hybrid** vaulted over Cheetah the much larger mammal easily, then hurried into the shop. Others immediately made way for the little red torpedo.

When the duo as one first entered the shop, they noticed an angeline wolverine covering her right paw, face twisted with pain. **Hybrid** therefore sped to the corner where she was sitting with a muskox.

“What’s the matter?” Nick in the armored mammal body asked the angeline concernedly.

“She was bitten.” The muskox answered in place of her.

 **Hybrid** looked round for the monster. The duo saw the purple furball climbing walls briskly, having difficulty keeping track of its movement under a panic situation. Thus, they twisted the handle forth twice. “ FORM SHIFT-ARCHER”  **MidniDriver** emitted purple haze shrouding **Hybrid** before the united duo pivoted around to clear the haze, becoming the armored mammal with charcoal masquerade eye mask in a green leather tunic, **Hybrid** Archer form.

A monitor of this form can detect a rapid motion. Accordingly, they pinpointed the squirrel **Savage** behind seafood counter. Pressing the syringe to summon a bow in the left paw “ ACTIVATE”, **Hybrid** sprinted.

The screeching tiny monster climbed down the wall nimbly. There was a male scream of fear from under the counter. It could be presume that there was a male mammal hiding there.

 **Hybrid** hurdled the counter, generating an arrow from the right wrist before firing it. When **Hybrid** landed on the floor, Judy was horrified to see a blood-soaked polar bear. _Savages don’t bleed, so how there’s blood everywhere!? Or did I shoot him?_ She was trembling anxiously.

“Chill out, Carrots! It’s just fish blood from a bucket.” Nick shouted in a whisper. Judy eventually perceived that the arrow hit the bucket on the shelf which the **Savage** rushed to hide behind. As a result, it leaked the blood out on the bear.

The squirrel scampered out of the shop through a back door. **Hybrid** went posthaste after it. Since the duo traded Hustler form’s speed for Archer form’s monitor sensor, it was not easy task to catch up with the agile small monster. They followed it to the Bug-Burga restaurant, entering the kitchen from the back of the restaurant, which terrified the Bug-Burga staffs.

 **Hybrid** drew the bow string back, determining on shooting another arrow. Once they released the arrow, it flew towards the purple target on the wall. However, it, one eye rotating to look at the armored mammal, bounced off the wall in time; hence, the arrowhead stabbed into the wall instead.

The monster jumped on mammals one after another, scaring them so much that they gave sharp cries.

At the time that a loud noise occured, the customers started to worry not long before worries grew to terrors when the squirrel **Savage** came in dining area. They were so frightened that they forgot to contact **SCU**. Some brought their phones up to live stream the event.

 **Hybrid** hopped on the cashier counter, pulling the bow back to aim, revolving slowly. Nonetheless, any mammals around the areas that **Hybrid** aimed got petrified, freezing in place. At the moment Judy noticed mammals’ horrified faces, she, lowering the bow down, was afraid of accidentally harming civilians with arrows.

In the interval, carrying a senseless fox in his arms, Clawhauser raced to in front of the restaurant. He looked into the place through its window.

 **Hybrid** soon detected the **Savage** crawling on ceiling. Without delay, the duo shot the arrow up but the monster drop itself first, so the arrow, piercing in the ceiling, missed again. The purple squirrel landed on one puma’s arm. He alarmedly shook it off rapidly and then yelped in pain when it finally fell off his arm to the table, leaving faint claw wounds on him.

 **Hybrid** , pushing the syringe “ACTIVATE”, sprang towards the table while grabbing a gladius sword that popped up out of thin air prior to stabbing the tip of it down with the goal to kill the tiny monster.

However, the **Savage** leapt off to stick on the wall a second ahead of **Hybrid** ’s attack. The archer armored mammal came down on the table.

Shortly after raising the head, **Hybrid** shrank back, taking a step away from the sword stuck in the table. Underneath the helmet, Judy became speechless on account of espying the startled puma terrified to the point he shed tears.

Nick in bunny’s body sensed insecurity surged up within her. Judy was evidently afraid of messing up, causing others’ misery. At any rate, to make the world a better place, she still could not ignore those who need help.

“Nick” She breathed, “I’m no hero.” looking at animals around her, “But if...” looking into their eyes which expressed hopes… They were counting on **Hybrid** , a mysterious stranger from their point of view.

“-mammals see us as a hero,-” Judy twisted the handle back. “CRITICAL BREAK” **Hybrid** ’s right palm glowed.

“I’d have to act like one.” She spoke softly yet determinedly. **Hybrid** drew the sword from the table. Once the armored mammal grasped a grip of the sword, the paw transferred a glow to its blade.

 **Hybrid** ’s monitor began to calculate the squirrel **Savage** ’s movement. It was scuttling on the wall. **Hybrid** Archer form raised and drew the bow, using the glowing sword as an arrow.

 **Savage** moved to front window of the restaurant. **Hybrid** released the sword. It flew across the restaurant like the wind to pierce through the fleet-footed tiny monster.

Finally, the **Savage** , stabbed to the window, was meeting its end. It vaporized while the window was cracking.

Everything happened so fast that eyewitnesses could not comprehend what just occurred.

After the bewildering moments, Clawhauser, holding fox body with one arm, was clapping outside the restaurant. By and by, others gave **Hybrid** a round of applause.

“Are you smiling?” Nick asked Judy in a low voice.

“No” Her cheeks radiated heat.

“I can feel it.~”

“Quit it!” She ran to exit the back door, pulling the syringe to detransform. The suit of armor let purple steam out, causing a diversion that helped her escape.

On the cheetah side, “Oh, you’re back! How are you? What about Judy?” he felt the fox woke up, regaining his senses.

“Hang on.” The tod fox pressed his syringe to inject the blood, curing severe fatigue. “I’m fine and Carrots...” He swiftly put his morpher away, “she’s doing better~” wearing a genuine relieved smile.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/3/2018: I would like to leave the note here before I forget. This fic is influenced by Masked rider series, especially Kamen rider W and Amazons. You will see why. Anyway, I’d also love to know your opinions, so please leave comments. Until next time~ Best wishes!


	12. Every cloud

**Judy** : Previously on Zoomorphia

 **Nick** : Carrots and I as Hybrid taught the silver wolf, named Bolt or whatever, a lesson. One punch beat him~ Easy-peasy~

 **Clawhauser** : Wow! That’s what really happened!

 **Judy** : No. It’s actually the opposite… His speed overwhelmed us… He even abducted the robbers. I’m not sure what he gonna do with them but… it probably won’t end well...

 **Nick** : Don’t feel so bad about it. Those four mammals were criminals after all.

 **Judy** : They should be brought to justice… not killed as someone pleases.

 **Clawhauser** : Ahh… Don’t stress, you two. Anyway, you guys did a great job, taking care of the squirrel Savage and saving mammals.

 **Judy** : Yeah, we did…

 **Nick** : Aww, look at that smile~

 **Judy** : I-I’m not smiling!

 **Nick** : You so cute when you smile~

 **Judy** : Don’t call me cute!!

 **Clawhauser** : Teehee~ Now the Chapter 12~

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    A recorded video clip showed **Hybrid** Archer form taking a stance on a table, aiming a bow before launching a glowing gladius sword like an arrow. A camera phone hastily turned to record image of a purple squirrel monster stabbed to the Bug-Burga restaurant’s window.

“Not bad~” An alaskan tundra wolf in a groovy black leather jacket, Bolt, stroked his chin while he was watching the clip on his smartphone, sitting on an oversized couch inside a motorhome.

“Bah!” A slender black wildcat with white paws, eyebrows and muzzle used a giant paper fan to slap Bolt’s head. “You crossed the line. What would you do if they discard their **drivers**?” She was dressed in white shirt, pullover bra top and black capri pants.

“But what if he made them keep their noses out of our business? Wouldn’t our job go smoothly?” A plump tan lemming, wearing the same style jacket as Bolt, lounged on the table.

“I know, right?” Bolt asserted.

“Don’t overindulge him!” The wildcat rebuked the lemming.

“Why are you wasting time watching that video anyway? You were there yesterday, weren’t you?” Ignoring her, the lemming queried.

“Well~ I have nothing else to do.” Bolt leaned against couch backrest.

“Go out to do your job then!” She scolded him, slapping him with the paper fan once more.

\- .... . -.-- / .- .-. . / .-- .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

    At early night, in ZPD lobby, Clawhauser was listening a song, Try everything acoustic version, recently released on Gazelle’s official Zootube channel. Generally, this song gives a good cheering-up vibe. Even so, this version, for some reasons,was oddly sorrowful. It was not surprising once he remembered how she was the last time she visited ZPD.

He was waiting for a certain someone…

Eventually, that certain someone appeared. Chief Bogo came downstairs and traipsed across the lobby towards the front door.

“Chief Bogo!” Clawhauser called his superior cheerily from behind the reception desk.

“What’s urgency?” Bogo went closer to Clawhauser sternly.

“Umm… No. But-” The chubby cheetah just wanted to have a chat with the cape buffalo. He thought that it would be great to talk about her latest song because they both are fans of Gazelle the famous Zootopian pop star.

“If there’s nothing urgent, leave a note in my office.” Bogo yawned tiredly. “I’m out. Bye.” He left the station.

Clawhauser was left alone, his smile fading away… He opened a picture on his phone gallery. It is the selfie of him and Bogo at Gazelle’s concert.

 _Not only Chief but everyone else has been busy lately. They all are facing problems._ He reasoned with himself in order to push negative emotions aside. “I have to do something.” He told himself resolutely.

.... ..- .-. - / -.. .. ... - .- -. -.-. .

A red fox in a light green hawaiian shirt and red-and-blue striped dark indigo tie gave a sigh of contentment. “Tod bless day-off~” He sat sipping coffee at a table near cafe’s window. The morning sun shed light on the right half side of him and the left side of the short-sleeved teal t-shirted gray rabbit sitting facing the fox.

“Hey Nick”

“Hmm?” Nick the red fox put a mug down, looking at his bunny friend in pleasure, feeling delighted that she was doing better and he had free time to spend with her.

“Do you think that Bolt guy is responsible for mammals going missing?” Judy the European rabbit drank a soy milk latte.

After getting better, she returned to focus on works. At that time, she was speculating that the wolf who abducted the robbers might have something to do with the missing mammal cases.

“I think not.” Nick took another sip, pointing at a flat screen television mounted on the wall. Therefore, Judy turned her attention to the TV.

    ZNN was reporting the news about the dead bodies found in river in Rainforest district. A female snow leopard news anchor reported that the dead bodies belonged to the absconding criminals charged with bank robbery crime. The pictures of mammals when they were alive were shown. The duo recognized them right away. They were those whom Bolt kidnapped.

    In another word, the mammals Bolt abducted did not go missing. It was less likely that he was behind the cases.

“So, that’s out of the question, huh?” Judy faced away from TV, gazing at heart shape latte art a bit distorted.

    The news reporting continued. It was assumed that the robbers died from drowning. That said, Nick and Judy had different opinion… those robbers in all probability were killed by Bolt because the duo saw him killed one of them with their own eyes, or not really since Nick’s real eyes were shut back then. It was just they were united as **Hybrid** at that time.

    Still and all, the two did not have any proves.

    Nick turned his head away, looking out the window. A few moments later, a round cheetah walking past in front of the cafe caught Nick’s eye.

“Carrots” He poked Judy gently, still looking outside, so he accidentally poked her forehead.

“Wha-What!?” Judy was startled by her fox buddy. She saw him pointing to outside the cafe.

“Is that Clawhauser?”

    She immediately turned her face to the same direction that he was pointing when he mentioned their big feline friend. There was an overweight spotted yellow cheetah in a blue police uniform walking on the street. The duo cannot mistake someone else for him. It really was Clawhauser.

Doubting why he was outside the station during working hours, Nick and Judy left the cafe to chase the police cheetah furtively. They followed him to a passage behind buildings, peeking around the corner.

Clawhauser scouted around cautiously, looking high and low. He came to a halt when he noticed a shadow resembling a rat with a huge turtle shell on its back. The moment that shadow moved, the cheetah unintentionally cried out in horror.

“What the what!?” An alarmed brown rat, owner of the shadow, carrying a large backpack on his back, scampered in circles.

“S-Sorry! False alarm...” Clawhauser was embarrassed by his misunderstanding.

The rat slowed down. “Jeez, don’t scare me, big guy.” He walked away as the cheetah was forcing a wry smile.

“Benjamin” Thinking that peeking from a distance would not get them anywhere, Judy approached Clawhauser with an intention to directly ask him what he was doing. Nick then followed her close behind.

    The surprised cheetah was not prepared to bump into the pair, “I-I-It’s not like what you think! I’m not investigating **Savage** s or anything!” blurting out.

The duo became speechless for a moment. “We haven’t asked you anything yet…” Judy stated.

“I don’t suspect you… or at least haven’t until now...” Nick said. The idea of Clawhauser investigating the monster **Savage** s would not come in their heads unless he mentioned it himself.

“I mean- I-I-I-” Clawhauser acted uncomfortable, stammering while trying to make an excuse.

“You owe us an explanation. Let’s find a place to sit down and talk.” Judy suggested.

“By the way, Carrots, have we paid for our coffee at that cafe yet?”

“Oh, sweet cheese! It totally slipped my mind!”

“That being said, let’s head back to the cafe then.” Nick decided.

    The duo returned to the same cafe at once, taking Clawhauser with them. Fortunately, cafe’s staffs knew both Nick and Judy as police officers; thus, they supposed that an emergency came up, which must be a reason why they left in a hurry despite not paying the bill.

    Two of them could only laugh off. Following that, they asked the staffs for a larger table which can seat a bigger mammal like Clawhauser with them (the partners sitting together on the same side) and ordered more drinks, one for Clawhauser and other two to diminish Judy’s guilt of almost dine and dash.

    Although the fox told his bunny partner “You can order just a glass of water for me.”, she “Just take it” still insisted.

    After the drinks were served,without further ado, Nick and Judy questioned Clawhauser such as a reason behind his investigation.

He briefly hesitated before he gave an answer. “There is discussion on internet about **Savage** s’ suspicious behavior.”

“Suspicious?” Said the duo in unison.

“They normally are all over Zootopia, yet some of them sorta have a pattern of hunting at lunch or dinner time in commercial areas. Besides, they sometimes appeared in places nearby where the missing mammals were last seen. For these reasons, I decided to investigate.” He informed.

“No offense but you really sound like those conspiracy theorists.” Nick commented.

“In any case, as of lately, we have encountered few suspiciously strange **Savage** s.” Judy, lowering her head while crossing her arms, added.

“Eh? I’ve not heard about it before!” Clawhauser wondered what kind of Savages she was talking about.

“How do I put this?” Nick thought of explanation. “It seems one **Savage** we fought had somewhat fight strategy, not fighting with pure instinct. There were those which didn’t randomly attack mammals like normal **Savage** s. For an instance, the bear **Savage** during bank robbery in Savanna Central ignored the robbers at first.”

“Are you referring to the one that the silver chrome wolf helped you two defeat?” Clawhauser seized a chance to mention Bolt.

“Yeah, that guy.” Nick frowned faintly, frustrated when he recalled how much his partner was depressed by the wolf.

    After a topic about Bolt the silver chrome wolf was brought up, Judy puzzled over why the robbers’ dead bodies were dropped in Rainforest district even though Bolt captured them elsewhere. Come to think of it, Nick and she used to meet the wolf in this lush green district once.

“Nick, Benjamin, mind accompanying me?”

“To where?” The cheetah tilted his head, chubby cheeks jiggling.

-.. .- -.-- / --- ..-. ..-. / --- -. / -.. ..- - -.--

    In the afternoon, inside one of the Rainforest district warehouses, amid piles of crates, a polo-shirted female yellow-bellied marmot was lolling on the edge of a covered sizable rectangular prism object opposite a buck-toothed gray jack donkey accompanied by an elephant who was the tallest among them three despite being a minor.

“Where is **it**?” The donkey raised his voice.

“Take it easy, man. How about a pep talk?” The marmot replied.

“Cut the cra-” He retorted.

“Easy~ Easy~” She interjected, hopping down and removing a covering. “Tada!”

    It was revealed that the mysterious rectangular prism object under a covering happened to be a cage with a sleeping maned purple lion.

“Do you think you can fool me with a napping naked dyed lion?” He raged at the marmot.

    She did not waste time talking but rather demonstrated, plugging her right ear. “Rise and shine~”

    The purple lion open its glowing eyes. It began to drool, then sat up.

The donkey and the elephant got chilled by the presence of the caged animal in front of them. It gave an unpleasant sensation, which proved its identity, a **Savage**. More surprisingly, the male donkey was impressed by how obedient this monster was.

“Why don’t you give it a shot?” The marmot handed the donkey an earpiece size of which was fitting for him.

    He reluctantly accepted it. Once he inserted it in his right ear, he tried giving a command. “Get up”

    The lion **Savage** stood up. Subsequently, he gave another command “Speak”. It roared, petrifying the elephant, as it was commanded. Hence, the donkey grinned, pleased with what he saw.

    Perceiving that the customer was satisfied, the marmot rubbed her thumb over the tip of her index finger and middle finger repeatedly, making money sign hand gesture.

    The sulking donkey drew his phone up, tapping a screen couples of times before showing the screen to the dealer. “Done” It was shown that he had transferred the large amount of money to a certain account.

“It’s a pleasure to do business with you~” The marmot stepped away from the cage, implying the lion monster had officially belonged to the donkey since the moment the money transfer was made.

“Go get that cage!” The donkey ordered the minor standing next to him.

    The fearful young elephant, tensing up, did not dare come nearer the monster.

“Quit dawdling! Wanna go back to be an orphan!?” He shouted at the elephant.

    Intimidated, the minor consequently dashed to the cage.

    In that instant, a silver flash plunged to the ground not far from other mammals, startling them. They turned their attention towards the exact same spot to get a good look. There was a kneeling silver chrome wolf with a reflective black bar over the eyes, two black thunderbolt stripes paralleling each other on abdomen, solar panels on chest and shoulders, Bolt.

“Get lost, kid” Bolt rose gradually to his feet. Other mammals were baffled by the wolf’s presence.

“I said get lost, boy” He raised both paws, electric sparks coming out of them.

    The elephant got filled with terror, skedaddling from the warehouse, unwittingly bumping into one pile of crates along the way.

    When the elephant minor was gone, “Dogdang, I can’t stand what you did, bub.” Bolt, right fist bopping left palm over and over, advanced towards the donkey.

    Simultaneously, the marmot sneaked closer to the **Savage**. Seeing that she unlocked the cage, the donkey smiled broadly.

“What are you smiling for? You’re creeping me-”

“Attack!” The donkey interrupted the wolf. Suddenly, the lion **Savage** broke free from the cage and charged at the silver wolf.

    He dodged narrowly, then pounced on the monster, wrapping his arms around its neck to strangle it. Unfortunately, it was not so effective because he did not possess enough strength. The **Savage** struggled, shaking and hurtling in order to throw the wolf off. However, he refused to let go, thereby being dragged along.

    A few minutes earlier, Nick and Judy, still dressed in civilian clothing, together with Clawhauser in police uniform were investigating less crowded areas of Rainforest District such as a warehouse zone. Without warning, they heard a loud noise coming from one warehouse. It was a feral roar which the lion **Savage** let out when it was ordered.

    Judy asked Clawhauser to take care of Nick as she was heading to the warehouse where the roar came from. Nick, jumping into Clawhauser’s arms, spoke up that the chubby cheetah’s arms were softer and comfier than the bunny’s to tease her. She grumbled before she yelled “Just transform already!”. Clawhauser wondered that an impression Judy was giving could be jealousy...

    Fortunately, there was no one else in the area, so they transformed into **Hybrid** without any concerns. After considering various factors, they “ FORM SHIFT-ARCHER” turned into **Hybrid** Archer form. They thought that **Hybrid** was not supposed to simply set foot in the battlefield through the front door, therefore planning to climb to the roof and ambush the target from the high ground. In that case, Archer form which moves quietest among three forms was the most suitable for this plan.

    In spite of that, the warehouse’s door burst open, followed by the young elephant exiting in a headlong rush, completely disregarding **Hybrid**. Since the door had already opened, **Hybrid** sped furtively into the warehouse.

    The green leather tuniced armored rabbit with fox features climbed to the top of a stack of crates to observe overall situation, Bolt threatening the donkey while the marmot creeping to the cage of the lion **Savage**. Nick and Judy viewed preventing Bolt from harming other mammals as a priority.

    Even so, before they made any moves, the marmot stunned them by unlocking the cage. Even more surprising, the **Savage** followed the donkey’s command. These two mammals were evidently suspicious.

    Bolt tried his best to cling to the neck of lion **Savage** running amok into many piles, leading to them falling and scattering here and there. The marmot used this opportunity during disorder to escape.

    Previous to she making an escape, **Hybrid** “ ACTIVATE” summoned a bow and created a tracking arrow from the right wrist, then shot it at her, the arrowhead stuck on her shirt without her knowing it.

    After the marmot slipped through the door, “ **Hybrid**! I know you’re there! Help me stop this kitty!!” Bolt surprised the duo. They did not expect that Bolt would be aware of **Hybrid** ’s presence early on.

    Despite their dislike towards the silver wolf, they indeed had to bring the feline monster to a stop because it was their responsibility. On that account, they cast their personal stuff aside and twisted **MidniDriver** ’s handle forth twice “FORM SHIFT-HUSTLER” to change back to Hustler form.

    **Hybrid** leaped across the field to block the **Savage** ’s way in one jump. Pressing the syringe, “ACTIVATE” they used super strength to push it, bringing it to a halt.

    The second that the monster came to a halt, Bolt, hugging the lion firmly, stabbed the tip of his knifepaw into the back of its neck. It writhed in pain but this time, the wolf finally released his hold on it. It appeared that he lost one of his nails in the monster’s wound.

“I’m counting on you, Mittens.” He whispered.

Everything happened so fast that “ **Hybrid** ’s really here!” the donkey had just realized that the armored mammal hero appeared in the flesh. “But whatever… Get them!” He commanded the Savage.

However, it did not attack **Hybrid** and bolt as he wanted. It merely stood still after being pricked in the neck by the wolf.

    While the donkey was feeling perplexed that why he lost control of the lion **Savage** , Bolt neared the donkey prior to clutching his shirt collar.

“You are unforgivable.” The silver wolf lifted the donkey slightly, making him tiptoeing and trembling.

“Back off from him.” Nick in **Hybrid** warned Bolt while Judy was directing the body to move towards him.

“...O.K.” Bolt unexpectedly agreed to loosen his grip from the donkey easily. Everyone grew relieved a bit but he then bent down and punched the donkey. “Oops~ Negligent discharge~”

    The donkey fell prone before **Hybrid** ’s eyes. The duo instantly knew his faith.

The rage exceeding the fear to face the wolf again, Judy was ready to go head to head with him. Nonetheless, she could not proceed. It turned out that Nick was holding the body back.

“Carrots, look! That **Savage** hasn’t vaporized yet!”

    She was shocked when Nick pointed out. The purple lion only maintained upright on four feet, not moving a muscle. Suddenly, it, roaring, went berserk.

    The united duo wondered what was going on, but not for long, “A side effect of jamming control signal may be kicking in.” Bolt said something that piqued their curiosity.

    Even though they wanted him to clarify, they had to wait until later because the **Savage** careered in a direction to the door. Both of them as **Hybrid** must defeat the berserk monster.

“Not so fast~” Bolt obstructed Hybrid’s path.

“Outa’ mah way!” Judy sprang, protracting claws and thrusting the paw to Bolt.

“Accel” Bolt sidestepped to avoid a blow, then palm struck **Hybrid** ’s flank.

    The armored mammal was sent to land on the ground. Just as the duo predicted, the strike did not hurt much, still, falling to the knees, they felt the body turned numb, which must be a result of electricity Bolt used during attack.

“I can’t let you remove that **Savage** … The **program** is being installed. So, be good kits~” Bolt said one more confusing thing; notwithstanding, it was obvious that he did not intend to allow them to eliminate the lion monster.

“Like heck we can just let it go!” Judy bawled.

“What if it attacks civilians?” Nick, taking charge of **Hybrid** ’s vocal cord, softened the tone.

“Not my problem~” Bolt responded to Nick’s question simply, outraging Judy greatly. He turned his face to look at the purple lion charging out the warehouse’s door. “Track down that lion.” It seemed like he talked to himself. “Pretty please~”

    Seeing that the monster was fleeing, and moreover, the silver wolf was being distracted, the duo decided to chase it.

After opening and closing the paws to verify that the body had recovered, **Hybrid** pressed the syringe “ ACTIVATE” to use enhanced speed. In no time, the united duo ran so blistering that the armored mammal appeared like a red blur.

When **Hybrid** was passing Bolt, “Double accel!” he gyrated to catch the smaller animal, snatching the spiky yet fluffy fox tail. **Hybrid** was restrained from moving forward by him hauling the red tail, which “Don’t touch my tail!” upset Nick a lot. He hit the syringe “ ACTIVATE”, tail spikes pointing outward, with a thought that sharp spikes would force the wolf to relinquish his tight grasp and fall back. Furthermore, he had his speed that enabled him to dodge.

All the same, still holding firm, he did not let **Hybrid** go. As a result, the silver wolf got stabbed by many spikes. **Hybrid** inadvertently pierced quite a number of holes in his body, glancing him with terror of killing mammals.

Out of the blue, Bolt swung **Hybrid** in spite of being spiked. The armored mammal was thrown away forcefully, tail spikes shortening and turning back to fur, to crash against the crates.

“Bolt! Do you copy!?” The wildcat on the other side of some sort of wireless communications asked. Apparently, only the silver wolf could hear.

“Loud and clear~ Awe! My beautiful shiny body... What a bummer.” Bolt complained.

“Retreat!” She instructed.

“I’m not done playing with them yet~ And what about the lion?”

“Forget about them! You have received damages in many parts. Besides, I’ve already taken care of that **Savage**! Rhino will pick it up. Now, get your butt over here!”

“Ro~gers~” Eventually agreeing to retreat, Bolt approached **Hybrid** lying on pieces of broken wooden crates. “This should buy us some time.” He stooped and pulled **MidniDriver** ’s syringe, forcing **Hybrid** to detransform “Ciao~” previous to vanishing into thin air.

The doe rabbit, being left alone in the warehouse with one soulless donkey, could not help but feel numb everywhere like the body was electroshocked.

“Judy!”

    She heard Clawhauser and Nick calling her name from outside, _At least, they’re safe._ thinking to herself while staring at a dreary ceiling.

.-- .... . .-. . / .. ... / ... .. .-.. ...- . .-. / .-.. .. -. .. -. --.

    The young elephant was sitting on sidewalk in Rainforest District, hugging his knees in the midst of hazy atmosphere.

“Why the long face?” A male voice said.

    He felt sorrowful to the point that he was not aware of an incoming mammal until the mammal arrived at his feet.

“I have nowhere to go...” He avoided looking at the other mammal in front of him.

“Where are your parents?”

    The elephant’s eyes watered when the word ‘parents’ was uttered. He buried his face in his arms later.

“It’s all right.” The mammal stretched his right tan paw out to the minor.

    The young elephant raised his head. He subsequently saw a blue-eyed brown St Bernard dog.

“Come with me” The St Bernard dog invited him softly.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 18/7/18: Please leave the comments~ I would love to know the feedback! Until next chapter~ Have a magical time~


	13. Electromechanical

**Nick** : Previously on Zoomorphia!

 **Judy** : We found out that Clawhauser was investigating Savages.

 **Nick** : It kinda explains why he was in the middle of Savanna Central back in chapter 5. Haha

 **Judy** : In addition, it seems that Bolt and his team are keeping watch on us. Thinking somebody is stalking us gives me the creeps.

 **Nick** : Just like when you stalked Finnick and me throughout the city after I hustled you for the first time?

 **Judy** : M-Moving on, we came across another strange Savage. This time, we also chanced upon suspicious mammals, really suspicious. The marmot released the Savage from a cage and the donkey could command it.

 **Nick** : What’s more, we fought Bolt the silver wolf again. It’s unbelievable that even after we activated tail spikes which pierced through Bolt’s body, he was still able to move! Can it be we are dealing with a zombie!?

 **Judy** : I suppose not.

 **Nick** : Or we’re actually fighting against a vampire!?

 **Judy** : That’s less likely.

 **Nick** : Ghost!?!?

 **Judy** : Calm down! Anyway, now the chapter 13!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    Inside a motorhome, Bolt the alaskan tundra wolf, wearing a white T-shirt tucked into black jeans with a black belt, was lounging on the couch. “I thought after they got beat back then, they wouldn’t dare to fight me again. What a spirit~” He admired Nick and Judy, rolling his right shoulder.

    Suddenly, the white eyebrowed-and-muzzled black wildcat slapped Bolt with a giant paper fan.

“Dapuq, Mittens?” He wondered why she was mad at him.

“Were you out of your mind!? Seriously, what were you thinking when you used that level of **accel** despite those damages?” Mittens the wildcat scowled at the wolf.

“But you ordered me to retreat-” He tried to excuse himself but the fan hit him again.

“Don’t argue with me!” She then sighed, “Forget it, at least this gave me an opportunity to make some modifications.” placing her paper fan upon her shoulder.

“Now what?” The tan lemming scrambled up the couch to sit with Bolt.

“No worries. I have a plan~” He winked at his friends.

... --- -- . - .... .. -. --. / -- --- .-. .

    Clawhauser was having a bowl of cereal at ZPD’s reception desk, reflecting on an event that occured a couple of days earlier, his friends as **Hybrid** losing to the mysterious silver chrome wolf once more.

_Back then, while I was carrying Nick’s unconscious body and waiting outside the warehouse in Rainforest District, I got startled by Nick waking up without warning. He was agitated because his consciousness returned to his body, not resulted by decision to detransform but being forced to detransform by Bolt. We hurried to rescue Judy lying on the pile of broken planks in the warehouse._

    The big spotted cat pulled himself from sinking into memory before taking another bite of cereal. “How are you doing now, Judy?” He inquired after the doe rabbit who was behind the desk with him. The tod fox, accompanying her, was none other than her partner, Nick Wilde.

“Good, thanks” Judy actively hopped over a backrest and sat on an oversized chair that was clearly for a larger mammal, whereas Nick idly climbed to sit next to her.

“So, about that silver wolf hero… He did help y-... helped **Hybrid** fight **Savage** s, right?” Clawhauser avoided using the pronoun ‘you’ while talking about **Hybrid** stuff.

“But he also murdered several mammals-” Judy frowned.

“Carrots, as far as we know, his targets are only criminals.” Nick added collectedly.

“If I didn’t misheard you, Clawhauser, you did called that guy ‘hero’.” The fox made the cheetah realize that he subconsciously perceived Bolt as a hero. “He seriously looks like one.”

    Once they mused on Bolt’s silver chrome appearance and fights with the monsters, he can easily be considered as a superhero.

“Criminals or not, mammals are mammals. It’s not right to end anybody’s life as one pleases.” She made an argument, believing that punishing criminals should be done by process of judgment, not some vigilantes.

“And to call that kind of mammals a hero… is...” She clenched her fists.

    Clawhauser looked at Judy with worried eyes. As for Nick, he decided to change the subject. “More concerningly, that guy undoubtedly knows how to detransform **Hybrid**. It’s like he recognized **MidniDriver**.” His words reminded Judy when Bolt bent down and pulled the 45 degree tilted syringe on the left side of **MidniDriver**.

“He’s even well informed about **Hybrid** ’s identity. This can’t be good.” Judy grew apprehensive.

“Take it easy. Want some?” Clawhauser scooped cereal from a bowl with a spoon, then offered her a bite.

    Reluctant to eat a bite of milk-soaked sugary toasted oat pieces, she eventually gave in to cheetah’s cheery smile, about to go for a bite. However, Nick snatched it, eating it up before she could.

“So sweet~” The tod chewed it while he was gazing at a pouting doe.

“Don’t be mad. Here” The cheetah offered the bunny another spoon of cereal. She opened her mouth, leaning towards the spoon, but he drew the spoon back and ate the cereal.

“Benjamin! Not you too!” She did not expect that Clawhauser would tease her as well.

“Sorry, I can’t help.” He giggled.

“Aww~ Don’t pout~” Nick wagged his tail slowly, brushing Judy’s cheek.

    She caught his tail irritatedly, then placed it down gently on her lap, simpering after a few moments. Next, it got her thinking. _Unexpected, huh?_ She petted the fluffy fox tail.

“Let’s get back to work.” Grabbing Nick’s tie, she jumped down the chair and then led him to the exit.

“Bye, Clawhauser.” He waved his paw at the cheetah behind the desk as he left the station with his partner.

    Clawhauser, putting down his bowl, felt his sugar-coated grain pale in comparison to how sweet those two were.

.-. . -.. ..- -.-. . / .... . ... .. - .- - .. --- -.

“Thank you for inviting me here.” The polo-shirted female yellow-bellied marmot turned to look out the window.Seeing that a plainly-and-simply decorated room she was in was on a branch of one of tall and large trees like skyscrapers in Rainforest District, she got a little bit scared of current height above the ground level.

“You like the view from up here?” An alaskan tundra wolf in a groovy vintage black leather jacket, paws in pockets, was standing leaning against the door.

    The marmot gave a nervous laugh in response, “Honestly, you are as handsome as your voice.” complimenting him whom she met directly for the first time.

“Thanks~” The wolf chuckled. “By the way..., where is **it**?” When he raised a subject, she, clearing her throat, regained composure before answering.

“Your **order** is being kept in the warehouse not far from here. Please rest assured.” She made the palm rub gesture. “If you wanna test its quality, we can head out-”

“You guys heard her~” He blurted out all of a sudden, confusing the marmot. She was curious about what the wolf meant by ‘you guys’.

The wolf still acted friendly and casual but the marmot sensed something fishy.

“Seriously, it’s been a few days, yet you are wearing the same clothes.” He drew his paws out the jeans’ pockets and came nearer to her.

    The marmot got addled. Formerly, the wolf and she had only contacted through phone until this time that they finally met each other personally; therefore, she wondered how he knew about her dressed in the same clothes she had worn for a few days.

    The wolf rolled his jacket right sleeve up and then brushed fur on under forearm, which revealed a zipper. After unzipping, it could be seen that underneath his skin was some sort of mechanism.

“Switch on” He uttered calmly, pulling a lever inside his arm to ‘on’.

    Electrical sparks ran around him. Following one quick flash of his white fur, the alaskan tundra wolf transformed his silver chrome form right in front of the marmot, a black bar over his eyes, solar panels on chest and shoulders, two thunder‘ **bolt** ’ stripes on abdomen to top it all.

    The alarmed marmot took steps away from Bolt the sliver chrome wolf. Her instinct screamed at her to run away as the imposing shiny canine was advancing towards her. She was accordingly looking for the escape routes, craning her neck to look at the door behind him.

 _It may be impossible to outrun the wolf._ The marmot thought, throwing the choice of exiting through the front door out the window. _Window?_ She glanced at one of the room windows.

“Escape through window if you want. Oh wait, we are at 140 feet above the ground.” Bolt sounded amused.

    When she was cornered, feeling desperate, there was a noise of something hitting the room’s wall from outside, followed by a long sound of metal scraping.

“Bolt! Look out!” Mittens warned him through wireless communication. But before he could react in time, **Hybrid** Archer form burst into the room through the room through a window.

    It appeared that the duo used Archer form’s monitor to track down the tracking device on the marmot’s shirt. **Hybrid** travelled from another tree to the room by shooting an arrow connected with a wire and sliding down the wire.

    **Hybrid** made a dramatic entrance before “Bolt! You’re under arrest.” Judy in the armored doe rabbit with fox features stated.

“What I’m charged with? Being a vigilante?” Bolt turned his attention to the green-tuniced armored mammal.

“Murder” She answered straightforwardly, “The cold blooded murderer like you who killed mammals is not a hero.” clenching the fists.

    Bolt subsequently laughed. “How ironic~”

    Knowing the wolf infuriated the doe, “Surrender and let us arrest you. We gotta have a long talk.” the tod took control of the body.

“What makes you think I will?” Bolt placed his paws on his waist. “Cuz last time I checked, I beat you twice.” He raised left paw, making a v-sign.

    Meanwhile, the marmot was so petrified that she rendered motionless.

“I didn’t smell it.”

    Bolt tilted his head, slightly confused by Judy’s words.

“When the tail spikes pierced through you, I smelled no blood…”

    At that time, with the enhanced senses, the united duo detected only the scent of metal and oil from the silver wolf.

“You are just a machine, aren’t you?” Judy inquired.

“... If so, what you gonna do?” Bolt came back with a question.

    Even though **Hybrid** ’s real eyes behind amethyst headlights were not visible, he sensed the determined stare from the armored mammal.

“I won’t hesitate anymore.” She twisted forth the maroon motorcycle handle sticking out on the right side of **Midnidriver**. “ FORM SHIFT-POLICE”

    The purple fog, released from the belt-like morpher and armor’s gaps, spread all over. Bolt was unable to find the doe rabbit figure under the thick fog.

    Following that **MidniDriver** ’s core shone through the purple mist, the red flamingo armored mammal in Judy’s police field uniform, **Hybrid** Police form, leapt off the ground to the silver wolf quickly. “ ACTIVATE” After summoning long-chained handcuffs, **Hybrid** wrapped the chain around Bolt’s upper arms up to his neck while turning a somersault in the air over the taller mammal, then stepped on his back, binding and strangling him.

“Run for your life!” Judy ordered the marmot. She therefore skedaddled out the room through the front door, leaving the door open, running down a giant tree branch as Bolt was trying to shake **Hybrid** off, turning around swiftly.

    The duo expected that they could capture the marmot later since the tracking device is still attached to her.

“Despite knowing I’m a machine, why do you bother putting me to sleep by choking as if I’m a normal mammal?” He, talking normally like he was not suffering from suffocation or pain at all, faced the open door, “Electro blast” uttering calmly.

Electric sparks came out of the solar panels on his chest and gathering into a concentrated light sphere.

    The energy ball was discharged as straight as an arrow, penetrating through the chain across Bolt’s chest, flying out the room through the door and hitting the fleeing yellow bellied marmot.

    **Hybrid** , loosening the grip, the handcuffs gradually fading away, watched the electrocuted marmot dying instantaneously before she fell off the tree.

“There goes my today quota.” Bolt reached back and grabbed **Hybrid** ’s arm before throwing **Hybrid** out the left open door. The united duo was dashed against the branch, clinging to the tree bark.

    He then rushed out the room, “So long, fellas~” nearing to kick **Hybrid** off the branch.

    When **Hybrid** tumbled down, “ ACTIVATE” the duo summoned new handcuffs and tied a chain to one of Bolt’s legs, dragging him down with them.

    During the time that the red flamingo armored mammal together with the silver chrome wolf was plummeting through leaves, he “Volt strike!”, a knifepaw glowing, made an effort to cut the chain but it was not effective.

    Bolt was about to try his Electro Blast attack. However, he recollected that he had already used his maximum one per day attack. Consequently, he could not break the chain.

    **Hybrid** “ ACTIVATE” called upon a black AutoMag decorated with a purple cylinder-like extra part and an auburn grip. After spinning the cylinder, the fire sparks flying out, a bright tiny bomb was fired from a muzzle of a gun.

    Bolt dodged the bomb shot at him in mid air but it exploded behind him, sending electromagnetic pulses to his body. An explosion force accordingly blew them to drop faster.

    Following that, **Hybrid** yanked the chain, tossing the silver wolf to a roofless wide skybridge between trees. A weight of the larger mammal pulled the armored mammal along. Bolt fell face down on the bridge, whereas **Hybrid** landed heroically.

    The duo got the idea of using electromagnetic pulse weapon against the silver chrome wolf owing to him being a machine that obviously operated with electricity. They hoped that his power grid would be shut down.

    The handcuffs vanishing as they wished, the duo as **Hybrid** went toward the lying prone wolf, bending over to check on him.

    Out of the blue, Bolt’s backfist struck **Hybrid** on a side of the face. A blow sent the armored doe rabbit with a fox tail spinning around in the air and falling back on the bridge away from the getting up wolf.

“Bolt! Do you copy?” Mittens contacted Bolt by wireless communication system.

“Feeling somewhat dizzy.” He held onto the rail for support.

“You’d better thank me for installing electromagnetic shielding cages inside you.” She claimed.

    Actually, the reason the silver chrome wolf was still able to function was that when Mittens repaired Bolt after he got pierced by **Hybrid** ’s tail spikes, she added the electromagnetic shielding cages, which can reduce the coupling of radio waves, electromagnetic fields and electrostatic fields, into him in order to protect the mechanical canine from EMP attack.

    Subsequently, Nick in Judy’s body sat up and shot many bullets in a mere few seconds at Bolt with the thought of protecting her.

“Double accel” Bolt uttered calmly. His processing system ran faster, which made him visually perceive the bullets coming toward him slower. He bounded, swayed and ducked a couple of times, avoiding every bullet.

    From Bolt’s perspective, he was just moving a little bit hastily. Whereas, the united duo saw him dodge like greased lightning. Next thing they knew was that he had already come close to them unawares.

“I can’t let you arrest me.” Drawing his right fist back, “Sorry not sorry~” Bolt threw a punch at **Hybrid**.

    Twisting the handle forth once “FORM SHIFT-HUSTLER”, **Hybrid** rolled backwards, evading from the punch, while the mist was being released from the belt-like device as well as armor’s gaps.

    After changing into **Hybrid** Hustler form, “Why did you target those mammals? What are you up to?” Judy asked Bolt.

“Sorry again~ Can’t tell that classified information.”

“What’s up with those weird **Savage** s? You know something, don’t you?” Nick asked him too, remembering the monsters with unusual behavior they had fought lately. He believed the wolf knew something they did not.

“Yes, I do but I’m not gonna tell you.” His tone grew serious to some extent.

“If that’s so, we’ll make you spit it out by force.” Judy hit the syringe “ACTIVATE” before **Hybrid** disappeared into thin air right in front of Bolt.

“I don’t have to accelerate to see...” The wolf said idly.

    When **Hybrid** popped up a step behind him, “...where you would appear.” he turned back swiftly to face the armored mammal, leaning down and launching a right punch.

    Nick pressed the syringe “ACTIVATE”, activating **Hybrid** ’s instantaneous movement to avoid his punch at the last second.

    However, “Accel” Bolt with accelerated processing system noticed that **Hybrid** teleported to the right side next to him, so he leaned more to the point he was about to fall, paws on the surface of the bridge, then twisted his body and launched the left leg while spinning.

    He reverse roundhouse kicked the armored mammal rapidly. His kicking heel struck **Hybrid** ’s shoulder.

    The red flamingo armored doe rabbit body moved through air before falling hard.

    Right after activating the instant transmission ability, **Hybrid** ’s physical power drops briefly, causing **Hybrid** Hustler form to be significantly more vulnerable than usual. As a result, the united duo respond slower and receive more damage.

“Looks like he can keep up with us.” Nick supposed.

 **Hybrid** tried to get up. At the same time, Bolt, getting into a fighting stance, stayed on guard, looking for a chance to leave without being chased.

“In that case, we gotta push the limits.” Judy pressed the syringe “ACTIVATE”.

 **Hybrid** teleported to front of Bolt up-close at eye level. Bolt then speedily elbow struck but **Hybrid** , pushing the syringe “ACTIVATE”, disappeared first.

“It’s useless!” Bolt, still accelerated, turned behind, where **Hybrid** appeared. He rapidly back kicked **Hybrid** pressing the syringe again “ ACTIVATE”. However, he missed since **Hybrid** disappeared again.

    Immediately afterwards, Bolt sensed the back of his head got hit, for **Hybrid** teleported to dropkick him by surprise.

    As **Hybrid** “ ACTIVATE” teleported again, Bolt was butterfy-kicked in the side of his face, “ACTIVATE”, scratched on his right thigh by **Hybrid** ’s left claw, “ACTIVATE”, and uppercut on his chin.

“ACTIVATE” “ACTIVATE” “ACTIVATE”, **Hybrid** teleported over and over again to attack Bolt in every direction possible, not give him a second to respond. Speaking of a response, neither did the duo. They did not react to the surroundings at all, just keeping on activating instantaneous movement ability and attacking.

    Shortly, after “ACTIVATE” another teleportation, **Hybrid** struck Bolt’s middle with a straight punch but it turned out that the punch was too weak. The effect of persistently using the ability began to take a toll. Judy’s body was becoming drained.

    Bolt, using this opportunity, threw a counter-punch.

    Fortunately, there came a blessing in disguise. The worn out armored mammal collapsed, knees on the bridge’s surface, thereby avoiding the blow from the silver wolf.

    When Bolt was about to attack once more, Nick, seeing the situation dangerous, “ACTIVATE” teleported away as an escape.

    Since **Hybrid** had already left, Bolt “Switch off” uttered thankfully. Following one quick flash of his silver body, he turned back to his alaskan tundra wolf disguise in the black leather jacket.

“How’s everything?” Mittens contacted him.

    Bolt rolled his shoulders leisurely, switching right and left repeatedly, to examine his physical condition. “I’m okay. In fact, it’s nice to blow off some steam~” He replied. “Have you picked up **it** in the warehouse yet?”

“If you’re talking about the **Savage** for sale, yes, Rhino already has. By the way, what about the **dealer**?” She referred to the female yellow-bellied marmot.

“I killed her...” He looked back to the moment when he fired the electrical energy ball at her.

“You did what!? We haven’t interrogated her yet!” The wildcat shouted.

“It was the best solution back then. I mean, our work would be troublesome if she got caught by the police. Am I right?”

“Mhm” She agreed with him because he brought up a good point.

“It’ll be fine~ There are more than one dealer anyway~” Bolt the wolf strolled down the bridge.

.. ... / .... . / .--- ..- ... - / -- .- -.-. .... .. -. .

    On the ground of Rainforest District, **Hybrid** staggered to an alleyway, where Nick’s body was hiding. The unconscious red fox cop was sitting on the floor with his head low, legs stretched out and back against the wall of the building.

    **Hybrid** subsequently flopped next to Nick, sprawling in almost the same manner as him.

    Judy pulled the syringe to detransform. Next, blood was drawn and then teleported to Nick’s syringe. **Hybrid** ’s suit of armor emitted purple steam before it vanished. Accordingly, Her body along with police uniform clothes were back to normal. If truth be told, Judy was still suffering from extreme tiredness.

As Nick’s consciousness returned to him, he woke up fatigued like always after detransformation.

“Are you alright?” Speaking with a shaky voice, Nick reached his quivering paw to his partner next to him.

    She leaned towards him. Her head tapped his chest.

    While he was feeling confused of her action, all at once his weariness was gone. When he looked down, he saw that she pressed his syringe to inject blood into him.

Judy tilted her head back and gave Nick a smile, a tired one.

“We need to head back before anyone suspects where we have been. No way I’ll let you whine that you’re tired or whatever.” She struggled to stand up, “Hurry up, you slacker” making a joke of him.

    Nick followed Judy as she tottered slowly to their police cruiser parking nearby. She was then going to fall back but luckily, he caught her in times.

“It seems I’m tired more than I thought.” She laughed tiredly.

“Judy...” Nick gave her a support, leading her to a passenger’s seat of the car.

Shortly after he lifted her into the car, she fell asleep on the seat.

While Nick was walking around to the driver seat, he clutched his rumbling stomach with his right paw, left paw covering his watery mouth. Without knowing the reason why, hunger was driving him insane. He had never been this hungry in his life as images of his precious doe rabbit friend were projected in his mind...

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 29/07/18: I'd always planned to write the action part of this chapter ever since I started this project. I hope readers don't see Bolt as antagonist here. He merely had different ethics I guess. Moreover, Bolt's character here is not really like his counterpart in his movie but more like Danny from Grease mixed with Vincent from Pulp Fiction.  
> \- Please comment or leave feedback. Wish you wonderful time~


	14. Feast on

**Clawhauser** : Previously on Zoomorphia, Judy and Nick made a huge discovery! Bolt the silver chrome wolf is in fact a robot!... Doing a recap sequence alone is kinda awkward-

 **Bolt** : I’ll gladly lend you a paw~

 **Clawhauser** : Jeepers! Who are you?

 **Bolt** : It’s me, Bolt the silver wolf~

 **Clawhauser** : But you’re white!... It came out wrong.

 **Bolt** : Oh, this white fur? It’s a part of my disguise. Anyway, I tricked a Savage dealer to fall into my trap. I’m so close to capturing her but Hybrid butted in; thus, I ended up killing her instead. And since those two insisted on arresting me..., we got into a fight. Frankly, I wasn’t hurt when they teleport-attacked around but boy, it sure made me dizzy.

 **Clawhauser** : Wow!

 **Bolt** : Hey Cheeto Puff! It was very rude of you calling me like that. I find that racist!

 **Clawhauser** : I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to call you wh-

 **Bolt** : No! Not that! I meant when you refered to me as a ‘robot’.

 **Clawhauser** : Eh? What you really are then?

 **Bolt** : Well, technically, I am an android, I guess.

 **Clawhauser** : Isn’t android a robot looking like a huma-

 **Bolt** : Cut! Cut! We’re not supposed to say the species that never existed.

 **Clawhauser** : Oops, my bad, err, chapter 14!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    In the morning at the Zootopia Police Department,

“So, Hopps takes sick leave today?” Chief Bogo the Cape Buffalo was talking in front of the briefing room, laying eyes on his fox officer, who was wearing light green Hawaiian shirt, dark indigo necktie with red-and-blue stripes and khaki pants instead of his police uniform.

“That’s correct~ In fact, she must be sleeping like a log on her bed as we’re speaking.” Nick Wilde the red fox replied his superior in a joking tone.

Clawhauser the cheetah and several other officers were standing around. He could not help but notice a slightly swollen stomach of his normally slender fox friend.

“What’s with the...?” He pointed at Nick’s belly, trying not to offend him since the chubby cheetah like himself might have no right to criticize someone else’s weight.

“This?” Nick pulled the front of his Hawaiian shirt forward a bit. “Honestly, I’m feeling a little under weather today, so I’d like to also take sick leave~” He relinquished his grip.

    Clawhauser supposed that Nick misunderstood him referring to his casual shirt.

“More like taking leave to look after Hopps~” Officer Higgins the hippopotamus poked fun at Nick while others laughed. The smirking fox then gave him a shrug.

“Noted, but just so you know, we’re handling lots of work right now. Make sure you come back soon, okay?” Bogo accepted their requests.

“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir~” Nick gave a mock salute.

“The rest of you get in there already. Roll call gonna start soon.” Bogo pointed his thumb to the briefing room’s door.

    Other officers entered the room as they were told, except for Clawhauser. He stared at Nick leaving the station, having an inkling of his action.

    As soon as the fox stepped out the door, his smirk turning to a frown, he clutched his growling stomach and covered his drooling mouth.

    Ever since the most recent battle with Bolt the silver wolf, Nick had been feeling starving.

    His hunger was driving him insane although he had eaten everything in sight. He even cleared out the fridge in his apartment by himself on previous night, which should make him full, but still starvation was haunting him.

    His stomach was rumbling as his mouth was watering.

    The more he thought of his dear bunny friend, Judy, the hungrier he got. That scared him a lot.

    Nick then decided to head out to downtown.

.--. .-. .. -. -.-. .. .--. .- .-.. / .- .--. .--. . - .. - . …

“Open up wide” Mittens, sitting on a table inside a motorhome, asked Bolt.

“Aaa” The shirtless alaskan tundra wolf, seated on an oversized couch, opened his mouth wide.

“Pink tongue, salmon pink gums, you look pretty healthy, Not!” The thin black wildcat slapped him with a giant paper fan.

    On the surface, inside his mouth looked pretty normal. However, what appearing to be his tongue, his teeth and his gums were in fact engineered devices to imitate real organs.

“Stop fooling around!” She poked Bolt’s chin with the fan to shut his mouth. “Open up! For real this time” She subsequently drew it back.

    Bolt, pleased to tease Mittens, brushed the white fur on his chest, revealing a zipper in center of chest, and unfastened the zipper.

    As he was pulling open the fake skin across his chest cavity, she checked his insides which were mechanisms and an running engine.

“Cooling fans seem working fine.” She said while looking at two spinning small fans in left and right side chest. She then focused at the engine in the middle by paying attention to its noise, multiple small cylinders running like a heart beating fast. “Engine runs properly. Nothing to worry about~”

    When Bolt zipped up his chest, “On second thought, I’d better check the switch lever in your right arm.” Mittens jumped to the right of him.

“That’s enough.” Bored of body check-up, he hopped off the couch, leaving the wildcat sighing.

“I’ve been wondering. Whose guitar is that?” He headed for a guitar leaning against a built in chest of drawers.

“It belongs to **professor**.” Rhino the tan lemming in a T-shirt tucked into jeans said. He was lying lazily in a pillow on the other couch opposite to the one Mittens was standing on. This pillow clearly was way bigger than him.

“Has **he** ever played it?” Bolt questioned.

“No idea. It has always been placed there. It’s more like a furniture by now.” Rhino rolled over to lie on his belly.

“Where is he anyway?” Bolt picked the guitar up. Its size was slightly small for a 6-feet wolf but he could go with it.

“Going out to run errands as al-...” While Rhino was answering, he along with Mittens was astonished by Bolt, who had never laid his paws on any instruments before ever since both the lemming and the wildcat first met the wolf, tuning guitar strings skillfully.

“...-ways...” Rhino eventually finished his sentence before Bolt started play guitar.

    Played melodies called lyrics to his friends’ minds.

_When you wish upon a star_

_Makes no difference who you are_

_Anything your heart desires will come to you_

“Guys, did you install music software or something into me?”

“No” Mittens and Rhino answered Bolt in unison.

    Even Bolt seemed surprised by his skill. He recalled no playing-an-instrument stuff within his one-year memory, unable to remember anything prior. However, all the musical knowledge came into his head.

.. ... / .... . / .--- ..- ... - / -- .- -.-. .... .. -. .

    Clawhauser, not having an afternoon shift on that day, strolled around downtown in a jungle green polo shirt and a pair of cello trousers. He intended to visit Judy after he found a right gift for her.

    Afterwards, he stopped in front of an all-you-can-eat restaurant where he used to eat. Just thinking about seafood, fried chickens, roasted crickets and pizzas which they served made his mouth water.

“No! Benjamin Clawhauser! Focus on looking for a gift for Judy.” Suppressing his own increased appetite, Clawhauser walked away from the restaurant.

    While passing the mouth of the close by alley, he heard a noise of someone throwing up inside the alley. He turned to see the red fox with the dark auburn tip of the tail wearing the familiar light green Hawaiian shirt.

“Nick!?” Clawhauser rushed to his friend who apparently threw up into a trash can.

    Nick wiped his mouth with the back of the right paw before turning to meet Clawhauser’s eye. “Oh hi bud, sorry for unpleasant sight” He did not look so good.

“What happens? Food poisoning?” The cheetah fidgeted.

“Just overeating” The quite bloated fox stepped back from the trash can staggeringly.

    Clawhauser moved hastily to hold Nick’s shoulder, scared of him tripping over. “Let me take you to your apartment.” The cheetah gave the fox assistance to stand steadily.

“My place is too far away.” Nick was suffering from nausea. His stomach was really uncomfortable.

“I gonna call Judy.” Clawhauser brought out his phone, intending to call her for help since she was Nick’s partner and they two were really close.

“Don’t!... Not her… Please” Nick clung to Clawhauser’s shirt.

    The cheetah felt at a loss. “What should we do?”

“I got an idea.” Pulling his phone out, Nick made a phone call.

    A little longer than a few minutes later,

    After hearing knocks on the door, “Coming! Man, you should give me a heads up earlier than that. It’s not like I would prepare my room-” The small fennec fox with bold voice went to open his apartment door.

“-but I need to prepare my mind to handle a guest-... Who’s this guy?” He was surprised to see a plump spotted big cat helping the familiar red fox stay upright at his front door,  “And have you gained some weight?” even more surprised to see his former partner-in-crime looking rounder than usual.

“Sorry to bother you, pal.” Nick came into the room while Clawhauser had to bow his head to avoid his head hitting the room’s ceiling.

    The apartment where Finnick the fennec fox, Nick Wilde’s former partner-in-crime, lived was supposed to be for medium-to-large mammal customers.

    However, the particular room which the large-eared sandy fennec fox stayed is in an attic and it has a low ceiling, too low for apartment’s regular customers.

“Benjamin Clawhauser, nice to meet you.” The cheetah bent down and offered his right paw to the way smaller mammal.

“Call me Finnick. Bet you are Wilde’s co-worker, huh?” He shook paws with Clawhauser, who then made an shocked expression, which “Why the… face?” confused the fennec fox.

“O-oh sorry. My bad.” Clawhauser apologized, “I didn’t expect you’d have such a… distinctive voice.” drawing his paw back.

“You're not the first person to tell me that.”

“Your place is...” Clawhauser could not help but think that the room was too cramped.

“Small?” Finnick placed his paw on the top of his head and then raised his paw up, implying that the room had plenty of space for a small guy such as him.

“I didn’t mean to offend you! I just thought this apartment is for large mammals since I found some wandering around on the first floor.”

“You’re not wrong. This place is actually for big guys but this room ceiling is too low, so I haggled my way to cheap rent.” Finnick said proudly.

    Clawhauser only nodded with a puzzled face in response.

“But still, cuz the doorknob was a little too high, I moved it down.”

    The cheetah recalled when he along with Nick arrived at the door, he noted that the doorknob was strangely low.

“At least you don’t have to worry about upstairs neighbors.” Clawhauser mentioned a positive aspect in a hesitating voice.

“Heck yeah~ Make yourself at home. That fox already did.” Finnick pointed at Nick heading to a fridge.

“Have something to eat?” Nick asked, opening the fridge.

“Chilled pizza. Want me to... heat it up?” Finnick goggled at the red fox’s sticking out belly.

“I don’t think he can eat anymore. He’s just-” Clawhauser was going to tell Finnick about what happened with Nick but he was then interrupted by the sound of ripping cardboard.

    Evidently, Nick got his paws on the chilled silkworm pupa pizza, claws tearing the packaging box apart. “Don’t bother” He began to guzzle the cold yeasted flatbread with dry tasteless tomato sauce and cheese. In addition to that, its crust looked so tough it must to chew, yet Nick munched it vigorously.

    The way he acted indeed scared his friends.

    Despite feeling stuffed, Nick was… “I’m little hungry.”... suffering from a ravenous appetite.

    Soon after he finished the pizza, he, wobbling drowsily, was slipping into a food coma.

    Both Clawhauser and Finnick hurried to help Nick, checking on him.

“Go ahead and take him to my sofa.” Finnick said.

    Since the roomer gave the permission, the cheetah took the bellied-out red fox to a sectional sofa, laying him on the long seating part. During the time, the fennec fox distanced himself from others before sending a text message.

    Nick spent quite some time lying on the sofa with his arm across his forehead. No matter how uncomfortable he felt or how taut his stomach was, his hunger did not lessen in the slightest. On the contrary, it rose whenever he thought of Judy, her face, her voice, her soft fur, her warm personality, et cetera, including her scent.

    He missed her fragrant lavender scent. The more he thought about it, the stronger it became as if it was really there.

    He could smell her scent growing clearer.

    His ears perked up when there were loud and continuous knocks on the room door. Finnick went to open the door quickly.

“Nick!!”

    Nick heard a sharp bawl from a doe rabbit; hence, he raised his head, propping himself up on one elbow, to look past his bloated stomach. He saw his friend and partner, Judy Hopps the gray doe in her casual outfit holding a paper bag, at the doorway.

“Judy?” Stunned, he could not believe his eyes. She was really in his sight. Clawhauser was also surprised what brought her here. In truth, Finnick reached out to her secretly.

“Oh Nick, are you hurt?” Judy, looking so worried, approached Nick hastily.

    Nick had not recovered from the abnormal hungriness. He did not know what he should do. He felt scared as she was just a few inches away.

    _Don’t come near me Judy. Please!_ Nick was screaming internally. _If you get any closer, I’m gonna…_

    Suddenly, Nick stretched his arms out and caught Judy. Seeing that, Clawhauser, remembering that Nick told him not to call her, interpreted that Nick might lose control of himself and harm her; therefore, he was about to help Judy.

    However, Finnick stopped him, wondering why the fennec fox was holding him back but that allowed the cheetah to look what was actually happening.

    Nick pulled Judy close, hugging her firmly and fondly on the sofa. Next, he shoved his snout into the fur on her head between her ears.

“Are you feeling okay now?” Nick asked tenderly.

“M-mhm” Despite being puzzled, Judy accepted his hug, dropping the bag in her paw to the floor, and hugged him in return.

“What a relief” He breathed in the bunny’s lavender scent. After many hours of fear and anxiety, he finally calmed down, feeling peace of mind.

    Judy stayed in Nick’s embrace for a while before breaking apart from the hug. “My parents sent me a pie made with blueberries from our farm.” She bent downwards from the sofa to pick a pie box in the paper bag up.

“It may be messed up a little bit. That’s the postal service for you~” She laughed off, shifting her eyes around.

“Want some?” Opening the box, she presented a blueberry pie to the fox in front of her. Its top crust had cracks here and there but overall, the pie still looked delicious.

“I’d love to, Carrots, but one more bite, I’ll probably burst.” Nick poked his own distended belly.

“I’ll make sure I will save you slices. Benjamin! Finnick! Have some!” Judy called others two.

    Everybody gathered at the sofa. The bunny, the cheetah and the fennec fox were sharing some slices of the pie. When the fox saw that the blueberry pie stained on the cheek of his rabbit friend, he “On second thought, one bite won’t hurt.” spoke to her.

    She giggled, “Glutton fox, I knew you can’t pass on blueberry.” about to feed him a small dessert bite with a fork.

    All of a sudden, Judy was licked on her cheek by Nick. His wet tongue touched her stained cheek fur. The startled doe could feel tingling sensation from her face running through all over her body.

    Startled as well, the tod budged away “I’m sorry! I have no idea what came over me.” and apologized.

    Meanwhile, Clawhauser did not appear less astounded than the duo. On the other hand, Finnick just seemed amused.

“It’s...” The blushing bunny raised one paw to her face, “It’s not a problem.” not wiping her cheek, just touching the spot Nick licked.

    Both stared each other as if they were frozen to the spot. As for Clawhauser, he merely sat still, gazing Nick and Judy back and forth.

    Out of the blue, a phone dinging sound broke the silence, frightening the police officers in civilian clothing.

    Finnick brought his smartphone out of the trouser side pocket to check a recent notification. “ **Savage** s are in the nearby area.”

    Due to existence of **Savage** s the monsters, an application was launched by a government agency to install for free. The app served a purpose of warning about the appearance of Savages in neighboring areas.

“Got it.” Judy jumped down the sofa and charged to the door.

“I don’t think I can go. My tummy’s heavy.” Nick said, staying on the sofa as before.

“Good luck, Judy!” Clawhauser wished her well.

    She waved her paw goodbye while leaving the room.

.-.. ..- ... - / .- -. -.. / .... ..- -. --. . .-.

“Those are normal **Savage** s, aren’t they?” Rhino quizzed.

    In the motorhome, he and Mittens were viewing live CCTV camera footage which she hacked, while Bolt was observing the **Savage** s from a rooftop of one building in Zootopia’s downtown.

    A large long purplish-pink horned sturdy purple bovine monster, covering in exoskeleton with the same color as the horns, and a pair of winged small purple mice were running wild on the street as the fully geared **SCU** agents tried to taking control of the situation, escorting mammals in the area to a safe place.

    These monsters were clearly far from looking normal but what Rhino meant by ‘normal’ was they likely were not among those peculiar monsters following commands or being for sale.

    Bolt turned to look down on the ground. “There she comes~” He spotted Judy Hopps from the distance.

“Bolt, stand by.” Mittens communicated with him through their private wireless communication system.

    After that, the wolf rolled up his right jacket sleeve and brush fur on underside of his forearm, going to transform in order to be ready to assist **Hybrid**. A few seconds later, he still remained in his alaskan tundra wolf disguise.

“What’s wrong?” Mittens asked, questioning why he had not transformed yet.

“My zipper got stuck.” Bolt struggled to pull his zipper as it was stuck like he said. Since the zipper would not open, he was unable to pull the lever switch to on. In the other word, he could not transform at that time.

“I don’t wanna say i told you so but i told you so.” Mittens caused Bolt to remember when he refused her to check his arm.

“Let **Hybrid** go it alone today.” Bolt decided to take a back seat, being only an observer.

    At the same time, some of the **SCU** agents on the ground were dealing with the bull **Savage**. A burst of bullets peppered it but many bullets deflected off its exoskeleton.

“The cover of this one is too tough!” Wolford the timber wolf agent, ex-police officer, yelled while firing an automatic rifle at the monster.

    Meanwhile, several agents, sticking together, swung their long-barrelled firearms like baseball bats to ward off the two swooping winged mice. They would not dare shoot bullets up, afraid of accidentally injuring mammals on the buildings.

“Keep them busy!” Maximus the white stallion gave a command to his subordinates as he and some other agents were occupied with a task of guarding citizens.

    At that point in time, hiding behind a corner of a building, “Ready?” Judy talked to her phone, wearing her transformation belt, **MidniDriver**.

“Hang on” Nick on the other end of the phone line put his transformation device on. Its belt automatically wrapped around his expanded waistline so tight that he “Oof” felt a sharp pain in his stomach faintly. He then proceeded to the next step, pulling the silver syringe on the left of his device. “DRAW BLOOD”

    When blood of the fox was teleported to Judy’s syringe, she pushed it “INJECT” before announcing “Transform”. Not hesitantly, she twisted back the handle sticking out on the right of her device. “IGNITE”

    With Nick’s mind transferred into Judy’s body, the duo united as one armored rabbit with fox’s features, **Hybrid** Hustler form.

“Oh my tod! Feeling so much better!” Nick rejoiced when he no longer felt uncomfortable in his stomach.

“Let’s roll.” Judy, together with Nick as the flamingo red hero, rushed to the scene.

    The left paw pressing the syringe “ACTIVATE”, **Hybrid** sprinted with a great speed towards agents who were having a rodent problem. The armored mammal jumped up and clawed the flying **Savage** s in the air.

    One dodged **Hybrid** ’s sharp claw in time, whereas the other one’s tail was cut off. Purple steam gushed out from its wound before the wound was closed by its rapid healing.

    Right afterwards, the armored mammal landed on the ground amid the astonished agents.

    Bull **Savage** ’s instinct alerted it of **Hybrid** the armored mammal, then screamed at it to attack the recently arrived threat. The Bull Savage, ignoring **SCU** agents who were shooting at it, sped towards the doe rabbit with fluffy fox tail.

“ **Hybrid**!?” Maximus seemed surprised although he was supposed to expect the armored mammal to show up in the fight.

    The mammals, standing around **Hybrid** , saw the intimidating bovine monster coming their way, thereby scattering.

 **Hybrid** side rolled to avoid being butted. When the bull **Savage** almost ran past the small bunny figure, the armored mammal “ ACTIVATE” activated an enhanced strength, twisted the body while jumping to create spinning motion and then kicked the monster in its flank.

    The kick sent the bovine monster reeling sideways. However, its exoskeleton remained intact.

“That bull’s sure tougher than I thought.” Nick commented when he caught sight of neither crack nor scratch on external skeleton of the **Savage**.

“We gotta try again.” Judy dashed to get the bull monster from its behind.

“Carrots, it’s not a good idea to-” Nick was about to stop her along with **Hybrid** ’s body from advancing towards the sturdy **Savage** ’s rear but it was too late.

 **Hybrid** under Judy’s control had already leapt to it. At once, the bovine monster bucked aggressively. Its back hoof hit **Hybrid** in midair, sending the united duo flying backward.

“-approach a bull from behind...” Nick said as Hybrid fell on the ground.

    Like always, it did not hurt, still it was a bummer that a simple fight strategy backfired in public.

“Noted” Judy responded unimpressedly.

    Shortly afterwards, the flying mouse **Savage** s dived towards **Hybrid**. Promptly, a few agents hastily opened fire on the rodent monsters. The purple mouse which still had its tail was shot down on the spot, while the tailless one merely got grazed by the bullets.

    The surviving winged mouse, flapping its wings furiously, attacked the armored mammal lying on the back. Accordingly, **Hybrid** blocked its biting and scratching with both arms.

    And suddenly, the bull **Savage** bellowed, its purple skin turning purplish pink, its exoskeleton bursting apart because of the expanded muscles. It subsequently leapt, plunged and spun around madly.

“This is bad! Bolt! Do something!” Rhino, watching the hacked cctv, shouted into a mic.

“Quick! Switch to another form!” Mittens ordered loudly.

“I can’t! I told you my zipper is stuck!” He tried hard to unzip his right arm, yet failed to do so.

    The going berserk purplish-pink **Savage** abruptly hurtled to a nanny goat and her kid whom a wild boar **SCU** agent was escorting to somewhere safe.

    Seeing that, the united duo concentrated, looking for an opportunity to finish the mouse right in **Hybrid** ’s face, and then seized the winged rodent monster, crushing it in the paws.

    Throwing aside the vaporizing lifeless body of the purple mouse with a pair of wings, **Hybrid** stood up hurriedly. Nick and Judy, sharing the vision, got a glimpse of the boar hugging the goat mom and her kid in order to use himself as a meat-shield protecting them from the raging bull.

Consequently, **Hybrid** hit the syringe “ ACTIVATE”, rashly teleporting to block the way of the **Savage** that was lowering its head, preparing to ram any mammals in its way. The armored mammal emerged out of thin air to confront the bovine monster face to face.

..-. . .- ... - / --- -. / ..-. . .- .-.

    At Finnick’s apartment, he and Clawhauser were getting to know each other more.

    The cheetah was amazed by the fennec fox’s real age and the fact that he had known the truth about **Hybrid** for quite a period of time longer than the cheetah had. For the small canine, he found that the big cat was such good company, especially when it comes to gossiping about the bunny fox duo.

    Out of the blue, Nick’s unconscious body, supposed to stay still on the sofa, started to writhe. Clawhauser and Finnick dropped their conversation and hurried to check their friend.

“Wh-What’s happening here!?” Clawhauser panicked.

“Never seen him acting like this before.” Finnick only remembered that whenever the two unite as **Hybrid** , Nick’s mindless body would appear in a deep sleep.

“Is Nick gonna be alright!?”

“Dude! I’m as clueless as you are!”

..-. . .- .-. / ... - .-. .. -.- .

    The boar agent shut his eyes tight, preparing himself to get severely hurt, opened his eyes when the expected pain did not arrive. He saw the raging bull monster was stopped by **Hybrid** who turned back on him together with the nanny goat and her kid.

    Directly after activating the instant transmission ability, physical power of **Hybrid** Hustler form considerably drops momentarily. To put it simply, in a brief moment, **Hybrid** becomes much more vulnerable than usual.

    At that moment, **Hybrid** was gored by the bull **Savage** , the tip of one horn stabbing the armored mammal’s stomach.

    The bovine monster, head being forced to be low to the ground, could neither pull its horns back nor move forth because **Hybrid** was grabbing the stabbing horn and a head of the monster firmly, **Hybrid** ’s foot claws digging deep in the ground.

    SCU agents in the area including Maximus became completely speechless.

    **Hybrid** then slowly raised one leg. The leg was stretched up straight, tip of the foot pointing at the sky. The duo as one twisted the handle back “ CRITICAL BREAK” before **Hybrid** brought the leg downward forcefully.

    The flamingo red heel struck the purplish pink head of the bull monster. Tip of its horn got pulled out of the armored mammal stomach in the process.

    The earth shook when the axe kicking foot hit the **Savage** so hard that its head sank into the ground.

    Shocked, the **SCU** agents gazed at Hybrid whose paw was covering a fresh stomach wound that was releasing purple steam. They did not know what to do in that situation. Some of them even thought that this was a great chance to catch the armored combination of rabbit and fox. On the other hand, it would be too cruel to do such a thing.

“Come on, guys! Hurry!” Maximus took a step, heading towards **Hybrid**.

“Is it right to arrest them now…?” Wolford questioned, believing his boss must be thinking about capturing the armored hero.

“Do I look like a idiot to you!? First and foremost, we have to save wounded mammals no matter who they are.” He continued getting closer to **Hybrid** , “Call an ambulance.” commanding his subordinates.

“ **Hybrid** , please come with us. You need serious medical treatment.” He spoke to the armored mammal.

“Sorry” The voice that came out was female, not a playful male voice **SCU** agents normally heard, which confused Maximus greatly.

“Gotta dash” Nick quickly took charge of the body, then “ACTIVATE” escaped the scene by instant transmission.

    The united duo popped up behind the corner of one building, peeking at Maximus ordering the agents to confirm the civilians’ safety in the area and search for **Hybrid**. The armored walk a few step unsteadily prior to falling to knees, covering the hole in stomach with both paws.

    Judy was fully aware that if she and Nick stayed together as **Hybrid** any longer in this stage, Nick’s real body would be affected as well and receive a vital injury. She therefore moved **Hybrid** ’s left paw to the silver syringe with intention to detransform.

“Stop thinking it, Judy.” Nick swiftly moved **Hybrid** ’s right paw to hold the left paw back.

“If we detransform now, you will definitely suffer too much damage to endure!” He said, worried about his dear bunny partner.

“You’re right, Nick...”

    The left arm which Judy was controlling became less tense.

“Let’s figure a solution together, partner.” She sounded genuine.

    Nick, glad that she understood him, loosened the hold on the left arm.

    Seizing the moment, Judy pulled the silver syringe.

    The very next thing Nick perceived was that he, waking up, returned to his body.

“Nick!” Both Clawhauser and Finnick grew relieved after watching their fox friend writhing for a short period of time.

    However, their relief switched back to worry again when they saw that Nick’s expression was full of fear and anxiety.

“Judy! Judy!” The unnerving fox got up in a hurry. The one and only thought in his mind was to save his friend, his partner, his bunny.

But he forgot the important thing...

    After detransformation, Nick normally experienced fatigue and this time was no exception. He collapsed on Finnick’s apartment floor, “Judy… Judy...” roughly crawling on the floor as he was calling to her.

Meanwhile, Judy the doe rabbit, kneeling on the ground, successfully detransformed. She clutched her stomach, her face expressing extreme exhaustion mixed with agony.

“It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.” Judy said weakly before she flopped down while drifting out of consciousness.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9/8/18: And that’s the end.... Just kidding. The story will be continued but for now, the series has to be put on hiatus since I’m moving to UK for studying. I won’t be able to keep writing for a while. Thank you for reading the series and until next time~ Have magical days~  
> -PS. I’ve just found out in some previous chapters I wrote ‘flamingo red’ wrong to ‘red flamingo’ which I guess have totally different meanings but I don’t think I gonna go back and edit them for the time being.


	15. Full throttle

**Clawhauser** : Ah geez, this looks bad. This looks bad! It’s not good at all!

 **Finnick** : Quiet down, Spots… Seriously, do I really have to do this recap sequence thing?

 **Clawhauser** : Judy and Nick are going through hardships. They aren’t available right now... Besides, I don’t wanna do this alone.

 **Finnick** : Isn’t there somebody else who would like to fill in?

 **Clawhauser** : There is… but I’d rather not work with him… at least for now.

 **Finnick** : Fine… Previously on Zoomorphia, after nonstop teleportation tired our fuzz bunny out, Slick suffered from mysterious hunger. He chowed down so much his belly puffed up.

 **Clawhauser** : Poor thing…

 **Finnick** : I agree. He got so fat I pitied his pants! Hahaha… Just so you know, I don’t have anything against fat mammals.

 **Clawhauser** : Don’t worry. As a matter of fact, I’m not fat… I’m fluffy~ Anyway, thank you for calling Judy. She really did calm Nick down easily.

 **Finnick** : They went out to fight the Savages afterwards. Fluff talked on the phone before they transformed right? Where did her phone go after that?

 **Clawhauser** : That’s what I always ask! But the important issue here is that they two as Hybrid got badly injured by the bull monster. What will happen!? Will Judy be okay!?

 **Finnick** : Find out in this chapter. Chapter 15

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

“Judy! Judy!” Nick got off the sofa in haste after Judy, catching him off guard and detransforming, sent his mind back to his own body.

    Experiencing fatigued like always, he collapsed on Finnick’s apartment floor, baffling his old pal, Finnick, and the feline friend, Clawhauser.

“Judy… Judy...” He continued calling to her while crawling wearily before he realized how to deal with the pesky tiredness. He then moved his paw down to push the syringe on his morpher, injecting the blood.

“Nick! What’s wrong!?” Clawhauser kneeled down next to Nick.

“You keep saying Fluff’s name. What’s happening to her?” Finnick tried to help the fox up despite his height.

    Nick, finally regaining his strength, stood up slowly. Nevertheless, he was still suffering from discomfort in his overstuffed belly.

“We as **Hybrid** were gored right in stomach and Judy detransformed before the wound can be properly healed. And now, she-... she is enduring all the pain alone...” He said with fear.

“I’ll call an ambulance.” Clawhauser, still kneeling, was dialing his phone.

“How will we explain to doctors and nurses what caused her stab wound?” Finnick jumped and snatched Clawhauser’s phone from his paw, “ **Hybrid** secret would be put at risk.” thinking that others would have doubts about why Judy’s wound looked like she got stabbed with horn and it was the same spot as **Hybrid** ’s, which could lead to drawing connections.

“But Judy’s life is at stake right now!” Clawhauser tried to take his phone back.

    Meanwhile, Nick felt that the pain in his stomach cannot be compared with the pain of the stab wound from the bull **Savage** ’s horn. Although he experienced that stab wound pain while being **Hybrid** whose body was fairly stronger than average mammals, he could not imagine how much pain the doe rabbit felt at the moment.

    He was racking his brain trying to think of what he should do, how he could save his dear bunny friend, but he then came up with an idea.

\- .-. . -- -... .-.. .. -. --.

    The injured unconscious gray European rabbit was lying prone not far from the corner of one building in the downtown, breathing weakly.

“I’ve found her.” Bolt in the Alaskan tundra wolf disguise jumped from rooftop to rooftop until he was able to locate Judy’s whereabouts.

“Retrieve her at once! We can’t afford to lose one or the other of **Hybrid**.”

    Bolt heard Mittens speaking through their private wireless communication system installed in him.

“Tell me about it.” Bolt was going to go down to save the doe. Since he was unable to **switch on** or change into his silver chrome form, he planned to go down the stairs like a normal mammal.

    However, when he was turning back, about to head to a stairwell of the building, he caught a glimpse of a black limousine coming to a halt around the corner. Hence, he turned his face back swiftly to get a good look.

    A large polar bear, wearing a dark suit with two vertical blue stripes on each sleeve, got out of the limo. He looked around before he showed a thumb up signal. Subsequently, another similar-looking polar bear charged out the limo to the unconscious bunny. He picked her up fast yet carefully. After both bears got back in the luxury vehicle hurriedly, it departed immediately.

“Mittens!!” Bolt shouted, nonplussed by what he had just witnessed, which seemed as if Judy was kidnapped by the shady polar bears.

“I’m on it.” In the motorhome, Mittens was hacking into traffic cameras in order to track down where the limousine was heading to.

“There’s no way you can catch up with that car unless you transform. Retreat!” She sounded irritated as if she reproached him for not allowing her to check his arm earlier.

    Some time later, Bolt returned to the motorhome on the outskirts of Savanna Central as he was told by his wildcat friend. Once he opened the door, he crossed his arms above his head to defend himself from an attack of Mitten’s paper fan because he thought that she would still be mad at him and wait for him.

    Nonetheless, there was no loud noise that usually happens whenever she slaps him with her trustworthy fan.

“Come in. I don’t have all day to play around.” Mittens, sitting at a computer, was occupied in tracking down the limousine racing down the road.

    As a result, Bolt entered the motorhome carefreely. However, he was then slapped loudly at the back of his head.

“Oh, my stars and garters! This thing is a fantastic stress reliever!”

    He looked back at a owner of an electrifying deep voice. The mammal, holding the paper fan behind him, was a black sloth bear in round glasses, a yellow Hawaiian shirt and blue shorts with white linings.

“Thank you for doing me a favor.” Mittens sneered.

“Hi Professor” Bolt smiled sheepishly, believing his wildcat friend must ask the sloth bear to hit him for her.

    Professor threw the fan in his paw lightly on a close by couch. “Gimme your arm”

    The Alaskan tundra wolf took off his jacket and stuck his right arm out to the bear.

“Voilà” He fixed the stuck zipper in no time.

“Shut the front door!” Bolt got shocked to see how easily he fixed it.

“Go sit at the table.” Professor led the wolf to sit on one of the two couches that were placed opposite each other with the table in the middle. Moreover, these couches in addition to other stuffs in the motorhome were clearly meant for larger mammal. Thus, there was plenty of space.

    Rhino the lemmings, who had already sat on the couch that Bolt went to sit on, climbed up to seat himself on the couch rest.

    On the other hand, “I can’t leave my computer yet but I’m listening.” Mittens said, working hard on her task.

“Okay, let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” Professor, sitting opposite to Bolt and Rhino, leaned forward, laying clasped paws on the table.

“Currently, as we speak, we have zero clue whether Ms. Hopps is dead or alive. The worse case is she’s goner by now, which means there’s nothing we can do.” Professor informed.

    All three other mammals fell silent. Shortly, he continued. “Conversely, if it turns out she survives…, that would be a great news but!” He emphasized the word. “Can we be certain that next time or next fight, everything’s gonna be alright?”

“Bolt will be there to help-”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but even I ain’t sure if something like this happens again to either of them, I will be able to save them...” Bolt cut in while Rhino was speaking in an optimistic tone.

    Professor, who was also thinking the same thing, became less worried when he saw that Bolt himself was fully aware. “We can’t afford to risk that couple’s lives.”

“Couple?” Bolt and others were confused by who professor referred to. Even Mittens turned away from the computer screen to react.

“Y’know, Officer Wilde Hopps”

“As far as I’m concerned, they don’t have… a thing.” Mittens said to professor, taking an interest in bunny fox officers’ affair more than her task.

“See, Mittens! I’m not only one here who misunderstood!” Rhino yelled.

“We don’t have time to argue.” The annoyed wildcat got back to work on her computer, pretending to act mature by focusing on her tracking task.

“Anyhow” Professor got out of the couch, turning to the computer screen. “As soon as Mittens can locate Hopps, go to check on her straight away. And if she’s safe,... you know what to do… in order to diminish the risk.” He looked at Bolt out of the corner of his eyes.

... .- ...- . / - . ... - / ... ..- -... .--- . -.-. - …

    It felt as if she was sinking down into the silent and pitch-black ocean alone. Her body also felt heavier and colder to the point that it was difficult to move. She saw nothing but a darkness.

    Out of the blue, the light glowed bright above her from a distance. She then reached out to the glow, yet it was too far away.

    Subsequently, a warmness touched her right paw before her body was dragged up to the light.

    Following that, Nick grinned, holding Judy’s right paw tighter after her fingers flicked. She had been fallen into deep slumber on a sickbed size of which was for someone her size as the IV infusion was put in her left arm.

    Once Judy woke up, opening her eyes slowly, Nick “Judy!!” called her name with the greatest pleasure.

    At that time, it was late evening in Tundratown, at Mr. Big’s house to be exact. The limo which took Judy away from Downtown and Finnick’s van were parked in a garage belonged to the infamous old Arctic Shrew. Besides, Hybrid Police form’s black hatchback sports car with white doors and a pair of sirens on the top was kept in this garage among Mr. Big’s luxury cars.

    Nick decided to contact Mr. Big earlier for help because there were only a few mammals who knew about **Hybrid** ’s secret and gave them support, not to mention had enough private health resources in his house since his men sometimes cannot be admitted to normal hospitals as a result of his mafia business.

    Clawhauser and Finnick were sitting quietly on leather sofas while waiting in such a fancy sombre living room for any Judy’s condition updates. The plump cheetah officer in civilian clothing was tense with fear to be surrounded by intimidating polar bears, whereas his small fennec fox friend appeared rather relaxed.

    He peeked at a large and probably the most intimidating polar bear who has thick eyebrows and a fat neck and wore a black business suit over a black turtleneck along with two golden necklaces, believing that this polar bear must be Mr. Big, the most feared crime boss in the icy Easternmost district of Zootopia. He had heard of him before but got shocked when he learned that his friend Nick had a connection with the crime boss, wondering why a mafia helped a cop like Judy willingly.

    Next, he noticed a golden-brown furred Arctic shrew in a fashionable mint green dress walking in circles worriedly on a well-crafted coffee table, so he moved to sit closer to the table.

“Hi” Clawhauser friendly greeted the female Arctic shrew, “I see you’re having a rough time.” slightly frightened by the stare from polar bears when he opened the conversation with her.

    She stopped walking to talk with the cheetah, “Thank you for calling us earlier.” bowing to him.

“No need to thank us.” Clawhauser scratched his right cheek softly. “I mean… Judy is our friend. Of course we help her.”

“I hope she’s safe and sound.” The female Arctic shrew sighed as she was looking down on the table surface.

    Swallowing his own saliva, Clawhauser wanted to reassure her, yet he himself was unsure...

“She’s gonna be just fine.” The male high-pitched voice came from Koslov, the polar bear who was wearing the golden necklaces, but he obviously had not spoken any words.

    He walked towards Clawhauser with an old Italian shrew in a black suit and bow tie on his paws.

“My child is a good mammal. Good deeds would protect her.” The high-pitched voice evidently belongs to him.

    Clawhauser thought this old shrew looked dignified and was really kind towards Judy.

“I haven’t introduced myself yet. Benjamin Clawhauser”

“My name is Fru Fru and here’s my daddy.”

“Nice to meet you Fru Fru and Mr...” Clawhauser supposed that it would be weird to call the old shrew Fru Fru’s dad.

    When the old shrew was about to say his name, all of a sudden, “Hopps just awoke.” Raymond, a polar bear wearing a dark jacket with vertical blue stripes on sleeves, rushed into the room.  A dollar sign pendant, connected to his gold necklace around his neck, was shaken by his rapid movement.

    Consequently, almost everybody, mainly Clawhauser, Fru Fru, her father and Koslov, left the living room right away.

    While Finnick was going to follow others out of the room, “We need to talk.” Raymond the polar bear obstructed him.

“If you gonna break up with me, at least, take me out for dinner or something first.” Finnick joked.

“I’m serious.” Raymond used a stern tone. “Did Hopps really get gored in her stomach?” He asked the small sandy fox.

“According to Nick, yes. Why do you ask?”

    Raymond kept silent for a while before answering Finnick. “It’s true that she bled when we went to bring her here… However, her body didn’t show a sign of severe blood loss, so there was no need for a blood transfusion.”

“On top of that, her wound was shallower than expected. It even got surprisingly better by the time she arrived on a sickbed. Although it’s wonderful that her injury isn’t serious anymore, this is...”

    Finnick finished Raymond’s sentence. “too strange...”

.- -... -. --- .-. -- .- .-.. .. - -.--

    Nick returned to Judy after poking his head round the door to quickly tell Raymond, who at the moment acted as a guard standing in front of the room where the bunny was recuperating, about Judy regaining consciousness.

    He briskly went back to be at her side.

“Nick...” Judy spoke drowsily “Are you alright? Do you hurt anywhere?” and concernedly.

    Nick chuckled in response, “Dumb bunny, you should worry about yourself before others.” taking hold of his precious bunny friend’s right paw tenderly.

    Their private moment which felt like eternity did not last very long before other mammals bursted into the room. Nick was letting go of Judy’s paw with intention to allow others to come talk to her but she was still holding on to his paw weakly, which he interpreted as ‘she did not want him to leave her side.’. Nick therefore moved up to the bed, so the others could gather around her.

    Clawhauser and Fru Fru, who was standing next to her father on the polar bear’s paws, questioned about Judy’s health persistently. She could only smile due to being unable to follow what both were saying to her.

“Calm down you two. She just woke up. Let her recover first.” The old shrew said.

    Getting a hold of themselves, both felt guilty for unintentionally disturbing the rabbit doe.

“I guess you must be the one who saved me. Thank you” Judy thanked the old shrew.

“Don’t mention it. In fact, you should thank Nicky.” He recalled when Nick phoned him, so he could send his henchmen to help her in time.

“Thanks, Nick” She tightened her grip, turning her gaze to him. He could sense her warmness in his paw and sweetness in her eyes.

    Smirking, “This’s for making me worried sick, Carrots.” Nick flicked Judy’s forehead lightly with his index finger.

“Nick!!” Clawhauser “Nicky!!” and Fru Fru shouted in a rebuking manner.

“Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again.” Even though Nick jokingly scolded Judy, his words contained sincerity.

    Then, a polar bear came into the room panting like he just ran, bending down and whispering to the old shrew on Koslov’s paws. Although he spoke sotto voce, the sensitive ears of a rabbit could hear him saying. “There’s an intruder in the front yard.”

“I need to run an errand. Baby, keep Judy company, okay?” said the old shrew.

    Koslov put Fru Fru down on the foot of the temporary sickbed before following the panting polar bear out of the room together with the old shrew.

    After that, Judy struggled to get off the bed, so others tried to stop her.

“Get to little Judy ASAP.” Judy told Fru Fru to go to her daughter at once.

“What’s wrong?” The confused cheetah worried that Judy’s condition might get worse if she forced herself.

“I’m having a bad hunch.” She replied.

“Even so, you should have some rest.” Nick suggested her caringly.

“Nick… please...” She begged as she was holding his paw tighter.

    At first, the old shrew thought that this intruder must be one of the craziest mammals who dare to beard someone like him in his den but once the house’s owner arrived on the scene, he saw the wolf whose polished silver chrome body was reflecting moonlight. On the snow filled front yard, the polar bears encircled the mysterious wolf rumored to be some sort of vigilantes.

    Soon after sending signals to each other, frightening mafia members charged at Bolt all together. The surrounded wolf, arms glowing, dodged the mammals rushing to attack him and pushed them away with his silver chrome paws.

    Despite being hit lightly, the bears fell over in the snow, unable to move their bodies as they pleased. The reason behind phenomenon was Bolt used minor electric shock on them, leading to numbness in the whole bodies.

    The old shrew grew anxious to see his henchmen were no match for a single opponent but he became more anxious when “Mr. Big!!” Judy showed up behind him with Nick propping her up against him. She was placing a cotton ball on her puncture wound on her left arm as a result of Intravenous therapy.

    Meanwhile, Clawhauser stayed with Fru Fru in the house to protect her child.

“What are you doing here!? Go back!!” Mr. Big the Arctic shrew yelled at the duo.

    Hearing a yell, Bolt shoved one of the polar bears out of the way. He finally found the bunny cop. “You’re safe! What a relief~ I’ve come to rescue you.” He said.

“I don’t know why you bother to rescue me but you’re the only one causing trouble here, so beat it.” Judy, acting tough, chased Bolt away. She knew well that her condition at the time was far from capable of arresting the agile silver chrome wolf.

“Okay… Well, the thing is...” Bolt spoke awkwardly. “I need both of you to hand over your **driver** s.” He pointed at Nick and Judy.

“Why do you need them?” Nick asked, darting a glance at Judy wearing her **MidniDriver**. He admitted that it was a right idea to be prepared against the wolf in spite of his worry for his partner’s health. He consequently put on his morpher, belt of which was a little too tight around his still expanded waist, and “ DRAW BLOOD” teleported a portion of his blood to a syringe on the left side of the doe’s transformation gear.

“Sorry, I can’t answer that. It’s confidential.” The wolf, rubbing the back of his neck, looked the other way. “But I suppose no matter what…, you two wouldn’t give them to me willingly.”

    While Bolt was talking, one bear sneaked up behind him. Before Mr. Big’s henchman could catch the silver wolf, he “Accel” did a high backflip, then landed on the bear’s left shoulder.

    Hurriedly, the accelerated mechanical wolf dashed towards the doe rabbit, passing Koslov and Mr. Big easily.

    Lifted up from the ground, Judy was locked in Bolt’s arms. At the time that her transformation belt was so close to getting stolen by the wolf, “INJECT” “IGNITE” she hastily transformed.

“Transform!” When the bunny shouted, Koslov quickly grabbed the fainting fox and then ran away.

    The scorching purple mist explosion from transformation blew Bolt the silver wolf away, causing him to drop the bunny’s body.

    Subsequently, the flamingo red armored hybrid between a leporid and a canine with color scheme of Nick’s casual clothing, vertical blue stripe in the front middle of light green torso and grayish-tan lower body excluding the feet, appeared among the fading mist.

 **Hybrid** in a crouching position, feet wide apart, right knee and outstretched right fist in contact with the snow on the ground, tilted the head back to direct gaze at Bolt, who fell on his buttlock after the explosion.

    The wolf stood up promptly. Both sides were ready to go head to head against one another. Judy felt her body getting better gradually as it seemed that it recovered faster while being **Hybrid**.

“I give ya 10 seconds for clearing this area. It won’t be pretty if these poor bears get caught in the crossfire during the fight.” Bolt informed.

    Accordingly, Mr. Big sent more of his henchmen to bring the paralyzed polar bears out of the front yard back into his house.

    Once the area was cleared, **Hybrid** and Bolt, sprinting, crashed into each other.

“Don’t push yourself too hard!” Mr. Big warned Judy worriedly.

“I’m here with her, so please rest assured.” The fox in **Hybrid** body told the shrew.

    **Hybrid** was stopping the wolf’s kick aiming at the head, sensing the force exerted into his leg, still **Hybrid** could withstand even much higher force.

    His arms glowing again, Bolt pulled his leg back, making **Hybrid** lose balance, then “Volt Strike” thrusted one of his paws downward with an intention to give the opponent a electric shock.

 **Hybrid** dodged the glowing arm and hopped up before flipping in mid air to “ ACTIVATE” deliver a powerful kick right in Bolt’s occiput.

    The accelerated wolf ducked the attack swiftly. Next, he swung his leg and struck **Hybrid** with the front of his foot in the air, sending the armored mammal to land on feet nearby him.

    Seeing that the Hustler form may not be the right choice to fight against the silver wolf, **Hybrid** twisted the handle on the right side of **MidniDriver** forth one time, “ FORM SHIFT-POLICE” turning into the flamingo red armored mammal in Judy’s blue police field uniform, Police form, prior to instantly “ACTIVATE” summoning the AutoMag.

    Twisting the handle back “CRITICAL BREAK”, **Hybrid** Police form fired an energy ball which shortly exploded like a firework. The burning lights from a mouth of the pistol in **Hybrid** ’s left paw bent to strike down the wolf.

“Triple accel” uttering calmly, Bolt moved from side to side like greased lightning and lowered his body a few times. Thanks to his highly accelerated processor, he was able to see through the attack and avoid all of the light beams hitting him.

    Horrified, the united duo was speechless to witness their opponent standing in front of them unscratched.

    Bolt cancelled his acceleration in order to avoid overheating, then “Volt Strike” threw a radiant right punch. Due to being shocked, the duo’s response was slightly slow. **Hybrid** barely blocked the punch in time, falling over and rolling on the snow.

“Even Police form’s finisher...” Judy tried to get back up. **Hybrid** ’s arms shook as a result of the electric shock earlier.

“At this rate, they can’t defeat that wolf.”

    The duo overheard the polar bears discussing quietly because of **Hybrid** ’s enhanced hearing. Even though she did not want to, she agreed with them to some extent.

“Judy...” Nick said her name, so she turned her attention to him.

“We should use my body to transform...” He suggested.

    Judy paused. His suggestion reminded her of that fateful night… the night that changed their fate forever.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 26/08/18: Here’s the first chapter after I moved into Scotland. I thought that getting used to Scrooge McDuck’s accent would help but oh boy, how wrong I was… It took me some time and effort to adapt myself to this new environment, not to mention academic life here.  
> Anyhow, thank you for reading this chapter and please leave comments. I’d love to know all the feedbacks. Until next time, have a magical time~


	16. Flashback

**Nick** : Previously on Zootopia

 **Judy** : During the press conference on the missing mammal cases, I ignorantly harmed a precious friendship and stirred up conflict among animals. I therefore resigned from ZPD, but I then learned that the Night howler plant was actually a cause of predators going savage, so I reconciled with Nick in no time.

 **Nick** : How can I stay mad at dumb bunny forever?~

 **Judy** : Please don’t tease me like that! I really felt bad back then! Anyway, thanks to Weaselton’s confession, we were able to discover the truth and expose Bellwether’s plan. The ZPD arrested her shortly afterwards.

 **Nick** : All the savaged animals were cured. Zootopia was saved. Carrots quit her farming job and got to wear her badge again. Happy ending~

 **Judy** : Oh, it got better when you officially became this city’s first fox cop, not to mention my partner.

 **Nick** : What crimes will we solve? What adventures lie ahead of us?

 **Nick & Judy**: Let’s find out!

.-.. . - .----. ... / .-. . -.-. --- ..- -. -

    Nearly at midnight, a smartphone with the carrot logo, put in a cup holder between a driver seat and a passenger seat, rang continuously while the grey doe rabbit officer was driving the police cruiser on patrol. It looked like she did not bother to answer an incoming telephone call.

“Carrots, aren’t you gonna pick it up?” The red fox police officer, sitting next to her, pointed at her phone which eventually stopped ringing.

“It’s Senior Officer Hopps to you, Officer Wilde.” Judy the doe rabbit said humorously to her partner, Nick the tod.

    It had been roughly two years since their first assignment they worked together as police partners. At the time, Judy got a promotion not long ago.

“Correction~ I’m not just an officer. But I’m a senior-officer-to-be~” Nick smirked. He used to joke with Judy that if he had got serious, he would have been promoted in no time. It was just that he did not want to become the senior officer before she did.

“You’d better work hard cuz if you don’t get promoted anytime soon-” She sounded threatening.

“You wouldn’t approve, would you?” He somewhat finished her sentence, “Aye aye, partner~ So, what’s with that phone call?” trying to get back to the point.

“Augh, there’s one buck who keeps hitting on me. And now, I regret giving him my number.”

“Why? You’re still single, right? Or he’s too annoying to you?”

“I’m pretty confident that I could handle anybody since I can stand you.”

“Oh ha ha” Nick laughed sarcastically.

“But in all seriousness, he isn’t bad. It’s just I am too occupied with my work, so I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“Still, you have enough time to hang out at my place~”

    Judy blushed at Nick’s teasing because she was unable to deny that she genuinely enjoyed spending time at his apartment. Hence, she moved on to another topic.

“You’re also single, aren’t you? Are you seeing anyone now?”

“Nah, I’m very busy looking after fluffy bun bun~” Nick made Judy roll her eyes in amusement.

    Then, without warning, “Judy! Nick!” a familiar energetic voice that the duo heard almost everyday at ZPD reception desk came out of police radio attached to their car.

    Accordingly, Nick quickly grabbed a radio mic to answer. “What’s up, Clawhauser?”

“There’s an emergency at Cliffside! Please go there immediately!” Clawhauser shouted on the radio mic on his end.

“We’ll be there ASAP.” Judy made a quick U-turn before the car sped down the street after Nick had already turned on sirens.

    When they arrived in front of Cliffside Asylum, a barrier gate of which was left open, there were quite a number of vehicles that clearly belonged to government departments, a police department and a fire department, parking on the bridge connecting the main land and the small island where the building was located in the middle of a waterfall.

    Some floors were ablaze with fire; therefore, some of firefighters were hosing those floors while some others and police officers were helping civilians to evacuate the building. Those officers were summoned like Nick and Judy because they were in near nearby area.

    Most of mammals that escaped the building were wearing lab coats. However, before the duo could fully understand the situation, a slender orange tiger with white muzzle and black stripes approached them to ask for their help.

“Thank scott you’re here! Some parts inside the asylum collapsed, blocking our ways in, but it may be possible for small mammals like you two to get in there and escort remaining civilians out.”

“We’ll get right on it! Let’s roll, Nick!” Judy led his partner into the burning building hurriedly.

    The tiger threw wet towels to them. Nick then caught the towels behind his back before entering the building with the doe.

    Both covered their noses and mouths with the wet towels while passing through smoky rooms. After some time, they came across a huge pile of broken concrete pieces and a large hole in the ceiling. It appeared that the floor of an upper story collapsed.

    Next, Judy walked up the pile cautiously, so Nick was going to follow her.

“Ouch! Hot! Hot!” He exclaimed when he touched some broken concrete pieces with his right paw unawares, drawing his paw back fast.

“Be careful” She warned him in a caring tone. Soon afterwards, her ears perked up as she heard footsteps from the upper floor. “Is anyone there? We are here to rescue you!” She sped up to the top of the pile.

“Wait for me!” Quickening his pace, he tried to catch up with her.

    Judy leapt off the peak of broken concrete pile, followed by Nick. He landed on the edge of the collapsed floor, almost losing his balance. Fortunately, Judy grabbed his tie in time and pulled him forward.

    There was a sound of footsteps again. This time, Nick also heard it. The duo consequently ran down the hallway.

She took off the towel covering her face, which would allow her to speak clearer. “Hello!” She shouted to call any remaining civilians’ attention.

When they saw a moorit ram in a lab coat darting across the end of the hallway which was connected to another path like 3-way intersection, “Sir, wait!” Judy together with Nick dashed to follow the ram, turning left at the end. “Don’t be afraid. We ZPD officers came to your rescue.” Nick attempted to reassure the civilian.

However, the ram, mumbling to himself, rushed into one room, completely ignoring the duo. They still continued following him. Once they reached in front of the room, Judy noticed a mammal curling up in the corner of the opposite room.

Therefore, she chose to help this mammal first. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” She approached the trembling mammal steadily while Nick was following her close behind.

    He had unpleasant feelings towards this curling jaguar. It was not wearing any clothes. Even if it was a nudist, Nick doubted why nudist animals would be in a place like this. What’s more, its fur color was purple. It did not look like color dyed fur. Apparently, every single fur on its body and its skin were naturally purple.

    Instantly, the feline turned to face the duo, its pupils glowing the same color as its fur. It let out a primal hiss while standing on four legs in contrast to present-day mammals that walk on two feet.

    Both bunny and fox got startled by the hiss, falling backwards, so their bottoms hit the floor. They shifted away from the threatening purple jaguar. It gave a hostile vibe that reminded the duo of the first time they encountered the savage black jaguar, Mr. Manchas.

    Without hesitation, bunny fox duo stood up and then “Run!!” escaped the room at full speed. The purple savage mammal chased after them straight away.

    As they were running away from it, Nick brought out his police pistol. He turned a gun safety to off before he fired it at the purple mammal.

“Nick!! What are you doing!?” Judy believed that they should not injure the feline purple mammal even though it appeared monster-like and they were basically bolting down the hallway for their lives.

“I’d rather not become somebody’s dinner!” He kept shooting bullets until the door a few steps ahead of Judy burst open, then “Quit shooting!” the moorit ram poked his head out, “This way!” inducing the duo into the room.

    They felt as if it was good fortune in misfortune. Thanks to fire in the building, they were able to see inside the room to some degree.

    When they passed the door, they spotted that there were connecting doors inside the room which seemingly was a scientist office having file cabinets and various lab equipment on the desks; thus, they came to a conclusion that the rooms were connected and that explained how the ram in a lab coat could showed up in the room far from the one he went in earlier.

“Typical bullets are totally useless against **them**.” The ram said, leading them to emergency fire exit stairway through another door at the back of the room.

“ **Them**?” Judy wondered.

“What’s worse, gun sound just gonna attract others-” As the ram was accompanying the police duo down the spiral stairs, he glimpsed a drop of thick saliva falling from higher level down to a void in the middle of the square spiral staircase. “Speak of the devil” The ram leaned over a rail of the stairs to look up.

Following that, he bounded down the stairs. Confused, Nick and Judy looked out the same direction as the ram previously did, then they caught sight of four drooling ferocious looking purple animals. On upper stairway opposite to the side they were standing on were a hartebeest with extra middle horn, a bulging-eyed hairless beaver, a frog-like hind legged aardvark and a saber-toothed marten.

“C’mon, hurry!!” The ram shouted.

    Regaining awareness, the duo hastily went after the ram when the monstrous creatures started to hunt them on all fours wildly.

    Both Nick and Judy were led by the ram out of the emergency fire exit stairway to a gradually burning laboratory with many expensive scientific instruments and computers.

“Umm, sir-” Judy addressed the ram.

He cringed in the response, “Please don’t address me like that. I’m not used to being called ‘sir’. I prefer ‘professor’.” while he was searching for something in the lab.

After both exchanged looks, Nick asked. “Shouldn’t we head for the exit?”

“There’s no way we’ll outrun them.” The scientist ram picked some kind of devices up.

One in his left hoof was a black machine with purple 1.25 inch diameter flat circle at the center, maroon motorcycle handle on the right half and silver syringe having a 45 degree tilt. Its length from the end of the handle to the syringe was as long as Nick’s forearm. Another in his right hoof was identical to the previous one but slightly bigger.

However, he found that the bigger one was broken, thus “Tsk” making sound of disapproval.

A moment later, primal roars became louder and clearer, indicating that the creatures were coming closer. As a result, the ram threw the broken device away. Nick dodged the thrown machine, thereby bumping against Judy lightly. He then glanced at Judy before looking through stuff scattered on the floor.

“Found it!!” He lifted the other device over his head. The length of this one was as long as Judy’s forearm. Immediately after that, he strode towards the duo “Put these **MidniDriver** s on” and presented the devices to them.

“Midnight what?” Puzzled, both questioned simultaneously.

    When the scientist ram perceived that the feral purple creatures were coming their way, “Please! Wear these, officers.” he begged the duo desperately.

    The fox and the bunny turned their faces to look each other in the eye for a brief moment. Despite the lack of understanding of the situation, she gambled on trusting the ram, reaching out to take the smaller black device from him. The fox soon followed his partner's lead in spite of hesitation.

“How do we use these things?” The fox examined the portable machine called **MidniDriver** in his paws.

“Just place them over middle front of your waists!” The ram yelled tensely.

    Turning to face the coming mutated-mammal-looking creatures, Nick and Judy followed the professor’s instruction amid blazing story on fire. They were surprised by the devices automatically extending belts and wrapping the belts around their waists. The strange black devices attached themselves to both officers with belts that were fit.

“Predator officer! Pull the syringe!”

    The tod fox felt off after the fact that he is a predator was emphasized by the ram, still he did what he was ordered.

“DRAW BLOOD” The device on him spoke robotically.

“Yeow!!” The fox got hurt, a part of his waist under the device stinging. The syringe was filled with blood immediately afterwards before all the drawn blood disappeared and the pulled syringe retracted on its own.

The doe rabbit worried about her friend. “What’s wro-”

“Push your syringe! Prey officer!” The ram intervened.

    Despite being interrupted and called weirdly, she was aware that she had no time to be irritated. Hence, she pushed the syringe on the left side of the device on her. The syringe which used to be empty had a dose of dark red liquid like blood inside it at the time that she was pushing it.

“INJECT” The device on her spoke robotically as well. The syringe then sprang back.

    Next, the bunny’s body twitched, feeling slight pain of getting an injection.

    Right after Nick’s blood was injected into Judy, “Carrots, I-...” he passed out while standing up.

“Nick! What did you do to him!?” Shocked to witness that her partner fell unconscious, she shouted at the ram.

“Forget that! You got an upcoming fight!”

“Wait? Fight??” Judy wondered what the ram meant by ‘fight’.

“Now! Twist the handle back to transform!” He told her.

“Transform?” She became more confused when she heard the word ‘transform’. Even so, she had already twisted backward the maroon handle sticking out from the right side of the device.

“IGNITE” The device on her spoke before its handle was twisted back to its original position by the spring mechanism. Following that, the device promptly emitted purple steam, which gave a sign to the scientist ram to distance himself along with the unconscious fox from the rabbit by dragging him.

    Shortly afterwards, the black machine caused the blistering purple mist explosion that made the creatures halt and look fixedly at the doe swallowed by the mist.

    The device’s core and two amethyst headlamps on Judy’s eye level shone up in thick fog. When the mist finally faded away, an armored hybrid mammal was revealed.

    The mammal had a full suit of armor covering from head to toe, flamingo red color body except for the stylish amethyst headlamp eyes and the device, and a doe rabbit figure but also had a noticeable fluffy fox tail made of spikes instead of fur and pattern of fangs with a pair of buck rabbit teeth on muzzle part of the helmet.

“What the...” Looking down through the headlamp eyes, Judy slowly raised her arms or at least that was what she aimed for. However, it turned out that the flamingo red armored arms were lifted instead.

“What’s happening!? Where am I!?”

    Judy heard Nick’s voice so close to her. Before she could react, the body started to move without her control, turning around swiftly.

“Am I mistaken or that’s really me over there?”

She could hear him again. The eyes she was looking through were fixed on Nick lying unconsciously next to the ram in the lab coat.

“Nick!” Judy called to her fox friend.

“Carrots! Judy!” He, turning left and right, tried to look for the bunny.

“I’m here! Or I think I am...” She made an effort to regain control of the body; as a consequence, the body stopped moving panically.

“What’s going on…?” Baffled to hear Judy’s voice so close as if it came out through his throat, Nick moved left arm to touch the side of the helmet and the long rabbits ears which were as hard as metal, yet able to move around freely just like normal soft bunny ears. The other paw touched the rear.

“Hey! Don’t touch that part!” Judy drew the paw away from the behind speedily.

    Although the duo were unable to fully comprehend the situation, they understood that both of them were sharing the body.

“What are you waiting for!? Fight them!!” The ram reminded Nick and Judy of the monstrous purple beasts. Nevertheless, they did not even know how they could possibly defend themselves against the creatures.

    When the armored mammal turn to face them, the saber-toothed marten leapt to attack the united duo. Consequently, they raised the left arm to guard the face.

However, they did not feel an expected pain on the lifted arm. Once they got a hold of themselves, they found that the marten, standing on hind legs, was trying biting into the flamingo red arm but its fangs were unable to penetrate biomechanical armor.

Subsequently, Nick shook the purple marten off and Judy then threw a straight right punch at it.

“On second thought, maybe we can fight...” Judy said after she together with Nick saw that the saber-toothed marten fell backwards due to the punch.

    Commanded by their instincts, other purple creatures charged at the armored mammal.

“Push the syringe and think about dodging!”

“What?” Nick and Judy, sharing the body, were distracted by the ram.

“Just do it!”

They pushed the silver syringe like he told them when the creatures got so close to the armored mammal.

“ACTIVATE”

    Not taking notice of what the device vocalized, both who were in charge of the body jumped up to avoid the lunging beasts.

    The next thing they registered was that the head tapped the ceiling. They did not think that the body would jump that high.

“Push it again twice! This time, think of speed and strength!” The ram yelled rapidly.

    The armored mammal flipped over in mid-air before pressing the syringe two times.

“ACT-ACTIVATE” The device spoke.

    The flamingo red rabbit with fox features kicked the feet against the ceiling, launching the body down towards those three monstrous mammal-like creatures, and then struck the hartebeest heavily with a fist. Its left horn was broken as a result, while the middle and the right ones remained intact.

    The armored mammal dived to the floor, then did a forward roll to minimize the impact of a height drop. Immediately after that, the hybrid mammal grabbed the beaver’s tail and cast the beaver to crash against the aardvark.

    When the scientist ram noticed that the saber-toothed marten got back up before sneaking up behind the flamingo red mammal, “Twist your handle back and finish off that weasel behind you!” he shouted to the united duo.

Nick and Judy in the same body turned back to find that the marten pounced on them as one, thus twisting the maroon handle and swinging one of the legs to kick the beast to the side in a reflex action.

“CRITICAL BREAK” The device spoke.

Surprisingly, the purple martes was sent flying through the wall by merely one strike. Even the duo did not predict this mind-blowing outcome. Fire smoke started to flow into the lab through a recently-made big hole in the wall.

“Alright! Show me what you’ve got!” Nick, feeling confident, struck a fighting pose.

    The rest of the purple creatures surrounded the armored hybrid, the hartebeest standing in front of the united duo. It then dashed forwards.

    While the armored mammal was rushing to collide with the foe, one of the flamingo red arms was pulled back by the aardvark's extended tongue that wrapped around the hybrid mammal’s arm.

Because of being distracted, the united duo were directly butted by the hartebeest. The armored mammal consequently fell back and rolled on the ground.

When the flamingo red mammal struggled to rise to the feet, the purple beaver tripped the armored mammal with its tail.

Lying on the back defenselessly, the hybrid mammal was about to be attacked by a small group of the monstrous creatures, so Judy skedaddled instinctively. In response to the urge to flee, Nick hit the silver syringe. “ACTIVATE”

The armored mammal ran away from the charging creatures at an incredible speed, coming to an abrupt stop in front of the ram accompanied by the unconscious fox body.

At the same time, the severely injured marten crawled through the large hole into the laboratory, its broken bones and fresh wounds healing remarkably fast. It was clear that the duo as they were at that moment did not have an ability to defeat even one of the purple beasts.

“I had a feeling this would happen… Without a doubt, the **synchronization** is still too weak.” The ram said worriedly, nearing the armored mammal.

    After that, he pulled the silver syringe of the black machine device on the flamingo red hybrid between a leporid and a canine.

Next, a dose of blood was drawn into the syringe and disappeared. Following that, the suit of armor released purple steam, then vanished, changing Judy back to previous unharmed state with her uniform undamaged.

“Eh?” She was surprised to see that she had returned to normal, looking at her gray fur and lighter-shaded-furred paws before touching her own face to make sure that there was no helmet covering her head.

“Nick!! Are you okay!?” She then suddenly thought of her fox friend.

“C-Carrots… I...” Nick, still lying on the ground, woke up in his original body, experiencing extreme tiredness to the point that talking was hard for him.

    The ram came back to the fatigued fox, pushing the syringe of the device which he was wearing. He remembered that the blood inside the syringe was supposed to be gone, yet he felt that there was a dose of some sort of liquid injected into him.

    All of the sudden, Nick regained his strength as the fatigue went away.

    The bewildered fox officer was helped up by the ram glancing at the purple creatures which were targeting him as well as two officers. He therefore advised. “There’s one survival option left-”

“What is it?” Judy asked.

“-but it’s seriously dangerous...” He commended.

    Nick directed his gaze to his bunny partner, his dear friend, then “We’ve come too far to back off. Lay it on me.” turned his face to talk to the ram.

“Pull your syringe and then push it right away.”

Subsequently, the tod followed instruction from the scientist ram. After he pulled the silver syringe of the device on him, he pushed it promptly before the device could draw his blood into the syringe.

“RELOAD” The black device he was wearing spoke robotically.

    This time, Judy was the one who lost consciousness.

“Twist your handle!”

    Nick twisted the device’s maroon handle back according to the ram’s order.

“I’m sorry.” The ram said. After the device uttered with a robotic voice "IGNITE", both Nick and Judy blacked out.

    They were unable to remember anything with clarity, having just faint memories of heat like everything was burning, tearing flesh sensation, sound of breaking bones and blood...

    Suddenly, Judy awakened, discovering that she was lying on side. Aside that, she also learned that all four of the monstrous mammal-like creatures lay dead on the floor with long and deep cut wounds all over their bodies that were disintegrating into vapour.

    Afterwards, she looked for Nick. She eventually found him and the scientist ram but something was not right.

    Nick, panting tiredly, was standing in combat pose with open arms, protracted claws and shocked expression while the ram was down on his knees before the fox, his bloody hoof in contact with the syringe of Nick’s device. The ram was obviously bleeding excessively.

“I’m really sorry.” The ram apologized again, pushing the syringe weakly. In consequence, Nick’s exhaustion left him, still the shock remained.

    The tod and doe officers had no clue what happened but it seemed that they successfully finished off the purple beasts and the ram risked his life to turn them back to normal.

    The ram then leaned against the fox weakly, so he and the bunny hurriedly gave the ram assistance to stand on feet.

“We don’t have time to waste...” The ram said exhaustedly. “Let’s leave before more of them show up.” He suggested, guiding others to a hatchback sports car on an underground floor.

    Back then, the car had only black color, no white doors and no pair of sirens.

    The duo helped the ram to enter the car. He told them that the car was linked to the devices. Therefore, they got into the car and transformed to the flamingo red armored mammal right before they departed from the asylum as fast as possible.

    The scientist ram was admitted to the closest hospital. That was when the duo learned the name of him, Professor Woolworth. Despite having a ton of questions, they could not ask him since he fell into a coma after that night.

    Beside that, more of the purple creatures made appearance around Zootopia from time to time throughout a year. These creatures were named ‘ **Savage** ’.

    With the devices called **MidniDriver** , Nick and Judy possessed a power to save the city from these monsters. Fight after fight, the armored mammal had the appearance changing and developed more forms, from the only red suit of armor to red full body armor with vertical blue stripe in the front middle of light green torso and grayish-tan lower body excluding the feet, which was later be called ‘Hustler form’, as they gained more battle experience.

In addition, they also had Police form, the form with police hat that could summon a sports car, and Archer form, the form with a hood and a monitor detecting movement.

    The bunny fox cop partners eventually became a hero whom animals knew as **Hybrid**.

. -. -.. / --- ..-. / ..-. .-.. .- ... .... -... .- -.-. -.-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 16/9/18: Hi there folks~ It’s been a while. The new semester just started, so I’m sure I’m occupied enough not to be bored. LoL  
> I bet this chapter is like a superhero’s origin story. Sooner or later, everything will be revealed.  
> Please leave comments. I’d love to read your feedback pretty please~ Until next time~ Have a magical time~  
> \- On the side note, chapter 16 on the day 16th! Woohoo!! (I love being random)


	17. Gagner

**Judy** : Previously on Zoomorphia

 **Nick** : Judy survived the bull Savage attack. Hooray!! Thank Mr. Big for his kind help~

 **Judy** : Luckily, he is one of a few mammals who know the truth of Hybrid.

 **Nick** : Not to mention he’s a mafia boss with more than enough personal medical supplies. That’s icing on the cake!

 **Judy** : But that Bolt the silver wolf then showed up and played havoc. He wanted our MidniDrivers for some reasons.

 **Nick** : What would happen next? Let’s find out in this chapter, chapter 16!

 **Judy** : Actually, it’s chapter 17, Nick.

 **Nick** : Wait? Did I miss one whole chapter?

 **Judy** : No, it’s just that the last chapter was a flashback-

 **Nick** : Or we have like a secret chapter that is too ‘spicy’ to be published publicly?

 **Judy** : There’s no such thing!

 **Nick** : Yet

 **Judy** : Nick!!

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

A penumbral lunar eclipse cast a light upon a snow covered front yard of a luxurious house in the icy Easternmost district.

“Judy… We should use my body to transform...” Nick suggested while he together with Judy as **Hybrid** Police form was at a disadvantage fighting against Bolt the silver wolf.

After she reminisced about the night she and her partner first transformed into the armored hybrid mammal, “No! It’s too risky.” she objected to the idea.

Although **Hybrid** ’s form which required Nick’s body was undoubtedly powerful, capable of putting an end to four **Savage** s even when they were inexperienced, it was likely that the duo would lose control and go berserk.

They cannot let anyone fall to the same fate as Professor Woolworth the ram, who was still in a coma after risking his life to detransform them at that night.

However, she was fully aware that they cannot gave in to Bolt either. If they did, the wolf would continued taking justice into his own paws. No one would stop him from going on a killing spree.

Not pressuring Judy to come up with a solution, Nick knew well that Judy was beating her brains out figuring out how to overcome their opponent. Nick himself was thinking hard too.

Both thought back to past fights in order to analyze them. They lost to Bolt even though **Hybrid** possessed greater strength than him due to the fact that they were unable to catch up with his extraordinary speed.

    Judy looked back further, eventually recalling the first time they met the silver wolf. At that time, he came to rescue them from mid-sized macropodine **Savage** s on the downtown elementary school’s courtyard after **Hybrid** Archer form’s monitor detected something…

    _The monitor detected…_ She reflected.

“I’ve got one idea but it’s a long shot.” She said.

Nick somehow could hear her thought loud and clear, thereby being able to guess what idea she had in mind. “Worth trying” He responded.

While the armored mammal in Police form, dropping the pistol in the left paw, was struggling to rise and hold the handle tightly, “Ain’t you giving up yet?” Bolt asked the united duo.

“Sorry… but I dunno when to quit” Judy twisted the handle forth twice. “FORM SHIFT-ARCHER”

    **MidniDriver** and gaps of the suit of armor simultaneously emitted purple fog spreading over **Hybrid** and the nearby area on the front yard with snow. The thick mist, hiding the armored mammal, obscured Bolt’s view.

    Suddenly, an arrow pierced the fog.

“Accel!” Bolt, accelerating his system, dodged the high-speed arrow, fired from lower angle, in the nick of time.

Immediately following that, “ACTIVATE” Bolt heard the robotic voice before the bio-armored mammal in green leather tunic, hood with red feather, and charcoal mark on face that resembles eye mask, **Hybrid** Archer form, dashed close to the wolf’s side with a bow in the left paw and a gladius sword in the right paw.

“Double accel!” Increasing his acceleration, the silver wolf moved away from the swung blade.

    Bolt flashed around, which made the purple thick mist fade away, allowing Mr. Big the old shrew and his polar bear henchmen see the situation clearly again.

    They found out that the silver wolf was briskly circling the armored mammal with doe figure and fox characteristics in the hooded tunic.

    Afterwards, **Hybrid** stabbed the sword into the ground, then moved the right paw to grip the maroon handle of **MidniDriver** before twisting it. “ CRITICAL BREAK”

    Next, **Hybrid** , right palm glowing, drew the sword up. When the armored mammal got the paw on the sword’s grip, a glow was transferred to the blade.

    The silver wolf later tried seizing the smaller flamingo red animal from behind. **Hybrid** whose monitor tracked motion of the mechanical mammal spun to swing the glowing sword at him.

    He therefore went backwards like lightning to avoid the attack, then ran in curve to backside of the armored mammal.

    After that, the monitor of Archer form started to calculate the wolf’s movement while **Hybrid** was drawing the bow.

    Nick turned the armored mammal back before he discharged the glowing sword  an arrow at the silver wolf.

It flew like the wind towards Bolt. “Oh scrap! Triple-” Unable to activate the greater acceleration in time, he got penetrated by the sharp blade in one of his thighs. As a result, he, losing his balance, fell on the ground.

Although this Archer form’s finishing move was not the strongest among all of forms’ finishers, it was indeed the fastest the duo had and fortunately, it was fast enough to win this fight.

“Looks like the tables have turned.” Nick said to Bolt as **Hybrid** ’s weapons vanished into thin air, the sword stuck in his leg disappearing.

    The armored mammal proceeded towards the lying down silver wolf who had few electric sparks coming out from a damage on his thigh.

“Bolt, if that’s really your name, you’re under arrest for multiple murders.” Judy stated in stern tone.

“Bolt!” Mittens bawled to him on their private wireless communication. “Your leg received too much damage! Retreat! Right now!”

“Are you sure that laws apply to machine?” He asked Judy in a humorous manner and then disappeared. The mammals in the area were surprised at first. Eventually, the united duo noticed a trail of footprints on the snow.

“He escaped huh?” Nick assumed that Bolt used his extraordinary speed to run away.

“That’d the case.” Judy replied.

    The bow gradually disappearing, **Hybrid** shifted the left paw to pull the syringe in order to detransform. After the armor, discharging purple steam, was gone and Judy changed back to normal, Mr. Big’s henchmen rejoiced at the duo’s victory.

    Subsequently, the doe rabbit fell over in the snow, so the polar bears stopped cheering. Some of them rushed to help her.

“Please let me take a little break.” She said tiredly before falling asleep.

    Mr. Big the old shrew on the paw of his most trusted henchman sighed relievedly, then turned to the red fox who had just woken up in the bear’s arm. “Incidentally, Nicky, have you put on weight?” He became aware of the fox’s bloated tummy not long ago.

“Your house’s so icy I’d love to hibernate.” He joked wearily, pushing the syringe to inject the blood.

\- .-. -.-- / - .. .-.. .-.. / .-- .. -.

    The next day, Judy believed headstrongly that she should go to work. However, Clawhauser insisted that both she and Nick had better take another day off. He had got them covered. Besides, Mr. Big’s family was more than glad to have the doe and the tod as guests.

    Luckily, there was no **Savage** terrorizing Zootopia city on that day. Judy accordingly had some proper rest while Nick could have free time to lose excess weight.

    The day after,

“Y’know. I wouldn’t mind you being portly.” The doe was ambling across a parking lot.

“Admit it~ I’m irresistible~” The red fox in a neat navy blue police uniform, Senior officer Wilde, was prancing next to the grey European bunny, Senior officer Hopps, on their way to ZPD headquarters. He showed his slender waist off.

“Well, good thing we don’t have to get you a larger-sized uniform.” She responded.

    When other officers perceived that both of them made an entrance into the station, they came to tease them. It seemed that Clawhauser reported that Senior officer Hopps was still sick, so Senior officer Wilde took another day off to look after his partner.

    Later that day, Jasmine Fangmeyer the bengal tigress **SCU** agent, dressed in a green V-neck T-shirt with **SCU** logo, visited her old workplace, the station. She used the opportunity to catch up with some of her old co-workers, Judy, Nick and Jackson Rajah the bengal tiger officer, in a break room.

“By the way, thank you again, Jacky, for your help the other day.” Sitting at the head of the table with a smile on her face, Jasmine thanked Rajah, who took a seat at one side of a rectangle table near the corner.

“N-No problem.” He stammered, getting a little bit embarrassed. “A-And please don’t call me like that again. You haven’t called me ‘Jacky’ since-”

“Since middle school graduation! Time sure flies.” She nudged the turning-pink tiger officer.

“You look quite lively today, Fangmeyer. Did something good happen?” Nick, leaning against a backrest, sat on the same side with Judy opposite to Rajah.

“Nothing gets past you huh?” Jasmine rubbed her flushing neck while the male tiger was observing her body language.

She then started telling a story. “Do you remember the time I went undercover for the investigation and the total stranger saved me from some thugs?”

    Nick and judy nodded their heads as a response.

Jasmine therefore continued. “Back then all I knew was that guy name is Al cuz those thugs called him like that but the point is… a few days ago, I chanced on him again and discovered that he’s a hustler.”

“I followed him to find that he gave stolen loaves of bread to poor kits and pups in a slum. That’s why I just gave him a warning and a pass.” She said further.

“Does he happen to be an arabian leopard?” Nick recollected the hustler whose nickname is Al.

“Yes! He is!” Jasmine confirmed.

“You know him?” Judy asked her partner.

“I know everyone~ His name is Allan Bubba.” Nick said the leopard hustler’s name to boastfully prove that he really knew him.

    Subsequently, the bunny officer paid attention to the blushing tigress agent bowing her head as if... “Hang on! Do you have a crush on him!?” She unintentionally blurted a question out.

“Don’t judge me!!” Jasmine shouted out of embarrassment. “You even have feelings for an ex-con-artist fox!” She accidentally let what many of their co-workers believed slip.

“What are you talking about?” Judy seriously had no clue what Jasmine meant.

    The tigress speedily covered her mouth with both paws, just remembering that the doe had not realized **it** yet, as the tod brought his right paw to his face.

“Let me guess. You wanna know this ‘Al’ guy better, right?” Nick peeped at Jasmine through gaps between his fingers of the paw covering his face.

“You saw through me, didn’t ya?” She smiled sheepishly.

“Based on you information, I suppose the leopard you’re referring to must be Bubba but I need to at least see a picture of him to be sure.” He moved both paws to over his head.

    Rajah, who sat at the table with Jasmine and the duo from the beginning, smiled with sorrow-filled eyes. “I’ve just recalled that I have to do some checking on the missing mammal cases. Later mates.” He made an excuse to leave the room.

“Wait for me!” Judy hopped off the chair and followed Rajah out of the break room.

    Once her doe rabbit friend was not there, the tigress used the opportunity to change the subject. “Wilde, be honest with me. Are you really okay with this?”

“What do you mean?” Although Nick vaguely knew what Jasmine was talking about, he would rather beat around the bush.

“I mean this whole Jude not aware of feelings for you thing...” She clarified.

“You two get along so well! And think about how kindly she treats you! Truth be told, despite appearing generous, most of us, including me, were skeptical of you at first. Your partner was the one who convinced us that you are trustworthy.”

“even though I’m a fox.”

    Jasmine was taken aback by Nick’s words because he really hit the nail on the head.

“But hey, we live in the world where a bunny can be such an amazing cop. Anything’s possible at this point~” He cracked a joke to light up the mood.

“Yeah…” She laughed awkwardly before she composed herself. “The issue here is… don’t you like like Jude?”

“I... do”

“Are there any downsides of being with her or are you not into interspecies relationship?”

“No”

“Or actually, you’re not into females?”

“That’s not the case.”

“So what’s holding you back from going out with her!? What if somebody decides to ask her out before you do??”

“I think that’ll be all for the best.”

    The tigress got shocked by the tod’s reply. After a few moments pause, he explained. “Assuming that we’re in a relationship, I will eventually bring her down… No doubt.”

    Nick put on a smile, an empty smile, while Jasmine fell silent, not knowing what to say.

-.-. --- -. ..-. .-.. .. -.-. - .. -. --. / ..-. . . .-.. .. -. --. …

    Following that the bengal tiger and the grey rabbit left the break room, she led him to a rooftop of the station to have a private conversation with him.

“I’m gonna be frank with you. You’re in love with Jasmine, aren’t you?” Judy initiated a heart-to-heart talk.

“How did you know?” The surprised tiger responded to a question with another question.

“It’s obvious. Anyway, why don’t you make any moves?”

“Well, Fangmeyer is my friend and I’m indebted to her… I don’t wanna ruin our friendship.”

    Despite her curiosity, Judy did not want to go in-depth into the story behind Rajah being in Jasmine’s debt. Consequently, she chose to stick to the main subject.

“You should at the very least tell her how you feel. No need to be flashy, just tell her.”

“But she’s already have a crush-”

“Even so, do you intend to hide your true feelings forever? You know how Jasmine is as a mammal. If it turns out she doesn’t feel the same way after you confess your love to her, she wouldn’t cut you off, right? Keeping bottling up your feelings may lead you to regret it later.”

“Thank you, Hopps. I’ll keep that in mind.” Rajah genuinely appreciated Judy’s benevolent advice; hence, he would like to return the favor. “Anyhow, when are you going to get together with Wilde? Or are you waiting for him to take action first?”

“What!?” Judy exclaimed. “Nick and I are just friends! What makes you jump to that conclusion!?”

“To be honest, it’s quite obvious. You spend an awful lot of time with each other both on and off shift. There’s serious chemistry between you two.” He replied.

“Because Nick and I are such good friends and partners, plus the chemistry thing is just we get along well, that’s all.” She explained earnestly.

“You even do things together at his place.”

“That...” Judy tried to think up an argument.

“Second evidence, you both are beyond close. Third evidence, you clearly care for each other so much. Fourth evidence, you can comfortably be next to one another in silence. Fifth evidence-”

“OK! OK! You proved your point...” She stopped him listing proofs.

Nevertheless, what Rajah the bengal tiger said got her thinking. _Come to think of it, I really don’t spend much free time with other male mammals except Nick. We crash with each other every now and then. What’s more, I don’t mind getting physically close to him…_

 _I enjoy Nick’s company… I wanna be with him… Wait… Why do all of these sound like a relationship?_ That was the moment Judy realized her feelings for her partner, her friend. “Oh my tod, am I in relationship with Nick without knowing it?”

The realization hit her hard.

“You said ‘my tod’ as an exclamation or a claim for ownership?” Rajah wondered.

“Both” She accidentally answered without thinking before realizing what she had just said. “I mean the latter. I mean as a claim! I mean! As the exclaimation!” She had a rough time regaining her composure, wishing for something or someone to take her out of this awkward situation.

    Shortly afterwards, her wish came true. Rajah got a call from Jasmine that there was a report on **Savage** s’ attack in the north-west of Downtown. She accordingly phoned him to let him know that she had to leave the station.

    Judy considered contacting Nick in order to go together to deal with the **Savage** s as **Hybrid** but the only problem was that just thinking about him made her heart skip a beat.

.-.. --- ...- . / ..- -. -.. . .-. / .- - - .- -.-. -.-

    After Jasmine left to do her job, Nick pondered whether he should tell Judy about **Savage** s’ attack or not. When he thought back to the previous encounter with the bull **Savage** , he believed that I would be better to keep her out of this. His phone then rang once, interrupting his , so he brought it out to check the notifications.

“I should see this coming.” He saw a text from Judy. She told him that they would head down to the scene as soon as possible.

    When they met up the lobby, “Take me with you guys” Clawhauser showed up.

Judy got concerned. “But this is-”

“Dangerous, I know. In case anything happened, I’ll be there to protect Nick’s unconscious body.” He convinced the duo.

They consequently let the chubby cheetah officer accompany them to the north-western part of Savanna Central.

Meanwhile, **SCU** agents were handling problems associated with three **Savage** s, a purple caprid, a purple maned lion and a purple wolverine. They would not dare shoot guns in a crowded public place. The risk of civilians getting shot by accident was too high. Accordingly, their priority at that time was to evacuate civilians in the area in the shortest possible time.

“Report the status of an evacuation!” Maximus the white stallion, the **SCU** team leader, yelled.

    However, the horse was confused by the fact that these monsters only either did minor physical harms to mammals or snarled at them. He wondered why they did not charge at the mammals.

    Once Nick, Judy and Clawhauser finally reached the scene, the **Savage** s made a move, going towards a commercial area. Hence, the mammals in the area moved away scaredly to let the monsters get through.

    A panther, one of the agents, made an attempt to shoot the purple beasts. Unfortunately, they dodged the shots, so the bullets hit a tall lamp post, which greatly startled several civilians.

“Stop freaking firing!” Maximus ordered angrily.

    The duo and Clawhauser hurriedly went by an indirect route to catch up with the running monsters.

Judy put **MidniDriver** , the black morpher, on her waist while rushing through a deserted alleyway. Close behind her, Nick looked at his morpher in his paw hesitantly before wearing it and “DRAW BLOOD” transferring a dose of his blood to the other device.

    After “INJECT” She injected his blood into herself, the panting cheetah caught the fainting fox, preventing him from falling to the ground.

    Next, she twisted the handle once “IGNITE” to transform. Following the purple mist explosion, the flamingo red armored mammal mixed between a rabbit and a fox, **Hybrid** Hustler form, charged out of the boiling hot fog.

When the united duo turned around the corner, “It looks like our target took the bait.” they heard a male fruity voice coming from the silver chrome wolf with a black bar over his eyes, solar panels on both chest and shoulders, and two thunderbolt stripes on abdomen.

He was standing relaxedly, surrounded by three **Savage** s in a wide blind alley.

“Good as new” Bolt the silver wolf showed his repaired thigh to the united duo.

    Despite the past conflicts between the wolf and them, the duo especially Judy could not sit by and let him be attacked by the monsters. The united duo therefore launched **Hybrid** with a purpose of saving him.

    Without warning, Bolt leapt forward, then threw a left hook at **Hybrid**. The united duo did not expect the punch, so they almost did not block Bolt’s left glowing fist with the right arm in time.

    Consequently, **Hybrid** flew quickly to the side and landed on the ground with the shaking right arm. It seemed the wolf added some electricity to his attack, messing nerves in the right arm.

“What’s going on here!? What’s with those **Savage** s!?” Judy got dazed.

“I don’t wanna brag but...” Bolt bopped his left palm repeatedly. “Are you impressed in my friend’s works. Mam, she hacked into their control systems and now, they follow every single order- Ow! Keep your voice down pretty please...” He covered his ears although it did not help since Mittens shouted through wireless communication system that is directly connected to him. She told him to focus on the task.

    The duo did not notice at the first glance because most mammals could barely recognize the purple creatures but this purple maned lion reminded them of the time they helped Bolt to stop the purple lion before he did something to it.

    _Control?_ Nick and Judy doubted.

“Let’s cut to the chase. Give me your **driver** s or else...” He threatened them.

    Both thought that if they did beat him once, they could pull it off again; thus, they moved the left paw to hold the handle, intending to change into Archer form.

    Suddenly, the purple caprid crashed into **Hybrid** , making the armored mammal fall.

“Go get ‘em, boys.” Bolt said.

    Right after his simple order, the lion **Savage** and the wolverine **Savage** charged at the armored mammal.

    The united duo got up hastily. Thanks to rapid healing, **Hybrid** was able to use both arms to deal with the **Savage** s.

    Meanwhile, Bolt merely stood there, observing the fight, as Clawhauser, holding the unconscious fox body in his arms, peeked around the corner.

    When the monsters encircled **Hybrid** , the armored mammal pushed the silver syringe “ACTIVATE” to activate the instantaneous movement ability. The purple beasts collided with each other as **Hybrid** teleported to a spot that was a few steps far from them.

    At that moment, “Accel!!” Bolt, aware of **Hybrid** ’s weakness about becoming vulnerable after teleportation, rushed to kick the armored mammal in the stomach.

    The kick sent the united duo flying backward before they in one body hit the ground hard. Once the accelerated mechanical wolf approached the armored mammal lying on the ground in a mere second, he pulled the syringe of **MidniDriver** on **Hybrid** , forcing the partners as one to detransform.

    The attack took its toll on the doe rabbit. Soon following that Judy turned back to normal, she was knocked out by pain.

“One down, one to go.” Bolt knew that Nick along with Clawhauser was not far away because Mittens told him when she saw them on a hacked CCTV camera. He was about to go after the other morpher.

    As a result, “This is bad! This is bad! This is bad!” Clawhauser hastily fled with Nick, who was regaining his consciousness, in his arms.

    Nick wanted to tell Clawhauser to leave him and run away. Unfortunately, he was suffering fatigue too much to communicate at that time, so he pushed the syringe to inject the dose of blood into himself in order to cure his extreme tiredness.

    Bolt pursued the officers to crooked alleyways, thinking that it would be a piece of cake; thus, he had already deactivated his acceleration. However, by the time he found the panting cheetah officer staying put, the fox officer, Bolt’s another main target, was nowhere to be found. Even Mittens lost him.

“Where is Officer Wilde?” Bolt asked Clawhauser in a friendly tone.

    Clawhauser shrugged his shoulders in a response, pretending to be fearless in front of the silver chrome wolf.

“Alright, for the heads up, I don’t have anything against you.” Bolt jumped over Clawhauser and tapped the back of the cheetah’s neck, sending electricity to knock him off.

“Okay~ Officer Wilde, I know you can hear me~” Bolt spoked louder.

    As a matter of fact, Nick certainly heard him. He was hiding not far from Bolt but in a spot that cannot be seen by CCTVs. Owing to his past experiences as a con-artist, he knew the blind spots around Zootopia.

    _So he can observe through CCTVs… or he has an accomplice assisting him…_ Nick analysed.

“I’m taking your cheetah pal and Ms. Hopps as hostages. If you want me to free them, bring your **driver** to me at a warehouse row in Rainforest District and don’t be tricky~” The silver wolf picked the senseless chubby cheetah up easily to some extent.

“You have 48 hours- No, that’s too much. How about 24? Rhino, what do you think?” He quieted down for some seconds like he waited for someone to reply. “8 It is. You have 8 hours, Officer Wilde~ See ya~”

    Bolt went back to pick Judy up too, then disappeared from the blind alley with his controlled **Savage** s, leaving Nick leaning against the wall alone while pondering.

    _He took her away…_ The fox clenched a fist as his emotions rose, so did his… returning abnormal hunger.

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 26/9/18: Thank you for checking this chapter! Please leave the comments~ I would love to know the feedback! Until next chapter~ Have a magical time~


	18. Go out

**Finnick** : Previously on Zoomorphia, our bunny fox cops eventually beat the silver wolf.

 **Bolt** : Yeah, once! But you know what? I can’t even be mad at them cuz after all this time, Officer bun bun finally became aware of her feelings for the Wilde fox! Too bad, I still had to get my job done. My crew and I used Savages to lure them into a blind alley. After knocking Hybrid out, I took Officer Hopps and the cheetah officer as hostages. Since we could not locate Officer Wilde back then, I gave him like 8 hours to hand over his driver in exchange for the hostages.

 **Finnick** : It looks like you covered everything… What’s the point of me being here and doing this recap sequence again?

 **Bolt** : Speaking of the last chapter, where were you? Shouldn’t you be there with other minor extras?

 **Finnick** : I was there, in Mr. Big’s house. In fact, I was the one who helped Slick Nick lose some weight. And I’m not extra! I have dialogues, y’know?

 **Bolt** : But you didn’t get mentioned in previous chap at all! Maybe you were overlooked because of your short height. Hahaha

 **Finnick** : Excuse you…

 **Bolt** : Oh… sorry...I mean you’re not short, you’re fun sized. Hahahaha

 **Finnick** : How’s that better?

 **Bolt** : It’s not?

 **Finnick** : I’ll bite your face off!

 **Bolt** : Uh-oh, gotta go. Enjoy chapter 18~

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

    Sunset’s rays shone through windows of one warehouse where Judy and Clawhauser were held captive against their will with their paws tied behind their backs. Because of their ankles tied with rope, they could not move freely, which implied that escaping was out of the question.

    By the time Judy woke up, she had already in this unpleasant situation with her feline friend, surrounded by a hog **Savage** and a hippopotamus **Savage** in addition to three purple beasts she as **Hybrid** fought against earlier to being knocked out.

    Besides, the two officers were being watched by the tundra wolf in a groovy black leather jacket, Bolt, who was sitting on one of the stacks of wooden crates.

“What on earth do you want!?” Clawhauser wriggled on the floor, yet the rope was not loosened one bit.

    Due to not being present at Mr. Big’s front yard when Bolt attacked, he had no clue what the wolf was after.

    Bolt did not answer since he was not paying much attention to him as he, looking at Judy’s transformation belt that was still on her since he could not remove it from her without wearer’s consent as a result of the device’s system, was thinking back…

    _After Mittens the black and white wildcat fixed Bolt’s part which was damaged by_ **_Hybrid_** _’s sword, a professor who is a black sloth boar bear held an urgent meeting in their motorhome._

 _“We must take_ **_MidniDriver_** _s away from those two no matter what.” Professor stated clearly at a table where he, Bolt, Mittens and Rhino the tan lemming gathered._

_“The sooner the better” The wildcat added._

_A light bulb went off in Bolt’s head. “I can accelerate and steal them-”_

_“Do you know where bunny fox cops keep their morphers?” She interjected the question, shooting down his idea._

_“But if there are any_ **_Savage_** _s terrorizing the city, those two will show up with their drivers for sure!” Rhino said, sitting on the table, so he could see others._

 _“Still, we have zero clue when the next_ **_Savage_** _s’ attack will be. There’s too much uncertainty.” Professor puzzled over the problem “except… we arrange the next attack.” before he came up with the idea._

_As a result, Bolt and his gang produced a plan for luring Nick and Judy out with controllable_ **_Savage_** _s in order that they can steal_ **_MidniDriver_** _s from them before the_ **_driver_** _s start-_

    All of a sudden, Bolt jerked, shaking the stack of crates under him. Judy and Clawhauser were accordingly startled by him.

“Oh Shiitake… I forgot to tell him which warehouse...” He had just realized he only told Nick to bring his morpher to him at this warehouse district but he did not specify which warehouse. This realization interrupted him looking back.

    Fortunately, he did not have to be worried about that problem because Nick Wilde the red fox appeared at the warehouse’s gate in his favorite light green Hawaiian shirt and dark indigo necktie.

“I thought for a moment that we may have to check every single warehouse to find the right one.” Finnick the fennec fox complained from the driver’s seat in his van.

“Thanks for the ride” Nick, seeming solemn, thanked Finnick for dropping him off in front of the warehouse.

“Are you sure about this?” The squat sandy-furred fennec fox asked.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Nick replied with determined eyes.

    Finnick put on his shades, “Ciao” then drove off.

“Nick!” Judy shouted her partner’s name.

“Wow, it took you 5 hours and 2 minutes~” Bolt pretended to look at his watch on his left wrist although he did not have any real watches on him at the time. “I hope you are clever enough to make a right decision~”

“Lately, I’ve wondered...” Nick started a speech.

“Why should I care? It’s not like this city is worth risking my life for anyway.” He walked slowly into the warehouse.

“I used to be discriminated, mistreated, called names, et cetera to the point of giving up trying to be something else aside from a shifty fox. But then, the naive little bun bun stepped into my life... She was so naive that she fell for my scam easily, so naive that she believes rabbits can be a cop… believes… an untrustworthy fox can be a cop too…” He lowered his voice at the end, yet his words echoed, so others did hear him.

    Nick continued. “Despite being looked down, she kept trying and achieved the impossible in the end… The first rabbit police officer, the amazing cop… I’ve been thinking… She may not be naive after all… She’s confident and hopeful. Because she is a trier… true fighter, she will try… always persist in trying to make the world a better place.”

    He then smiled tiredly. “If I give up again here, she won’t likely to forgive me.”

    Following that, Nick brought out the arm-sized black device, **MidniDriver**. Bolt therefore hopped off the stack to get on his feet in order to receive Nick’s transformation gear. However, it turned out that Nick put his morpher on his waist.

“So, that’s your decision huh?” Bolt sighed, rolling up his jacket right sleeve before brushing fur on under forearm to avoid getting a zipper on his arm stuck on fur.

    After unzipping his arm, “Switch on” Bolt, uttering calmly, pulled a lever which is a part of a mechanical arm underneath fake skin.

    The very next thing happened was that electric sparks ran around the tundra wolf before one quick flash of his white fur. Shortly afterwards, Bolt successfully switched into his silver chrome form.

“Carrots!” Nick shouted to Judy while she was gazing at him in worry for him.

“Thank you, for everything!” He expressed his gratitude to her. “I’ll save you… whatever it costs.” He made a promise.

    Subsequently, “I love you, Judy.” Nick pulled the syringe of his morpher, then pushed it promptly.

“RELOAD” His **MidniDriver** spoke.

“Nick! Wait! D-..on..t...” Judy passed out.

“Judy!” Clawhauser moved with difficulty towards the unconscious bunny.

Nick held the handle sticking out the right side of his black device before “Transform” he said and twisted the handle. “IGNITE”

Next, Nick’s **MidniDriver** released purple steam which unsettled all of the five purple monsters and then caused boiling mist explosion swallowing the red fox whole.

After the thick mist faded away, two emerald headlamps at Nick’s eye level and purple device core shining up, the armored mammal was revealed.

Nonetheless, this armored mammal did not appear the same as usual. Normally, **Hybrid** was a doe rabbit figure with fox features regardless of what forms the duo used.

Despite having the same black device on the waist, the mammal has a tod fox physique with characteristics of a rabbit such as a short snout and a short tail.

Furthermore, this **hybrid** between a fox and a rabbit is covered with a steel blue full suit head-to-toe bio armor.

The steel blue **Hybrid** also had a pair of emerald headlamps for eyes, no pattern on muzzle area unlike **Hybrid** ’s other forms, crimson claw marks on the left cheek, a red neckerchief around the neck, a pair of claw gauntlets and, last but not least, digitigrade legs (standing and walking on toes).

“Dang! Intimidating~ A bit too edgy, but still impressive~” Bolt complimented **Hybrid** ’s new form. “Bring it on!” He struck a fighting pose while Mittens was controlling the **Savage** s to be on standby from the motorhome.

    Suddenly, **Hybrid** screamed at the top of the lungs before storming off.

    Stunned by the unexpected harsh manner, Bolt froze in place, while Mittens ordered the **Savage** s to stop the blue armored mammal in order that the wolf had some time to get a hold of himself.

    Right afterwards, **Hybrid** charged headlong at the purple wolverine, then grabbed of its neck with the right paw before hurling it upward. After that, the steel blue armored mammal jumped up and thrust the left claw into the wolverine **Savage**. It consequently met its end in the blink of an eye.

    Clawhauser, Bolt and his team, only Mittens and Rhino except the professor, who were watching the incident live from their base were stupefied by the fact that this blue form of **Hybrid** could finish off one **Savage** in next to no time.

    The feral armored mammal briskly hunted down other purple beasts, leaping over large **Savage** s like the lion and the hippo. **Hybrid** then dived towards the caprid and swiftly crashed it against the ground so hard that it died instantaneously.

    The next target whom **Hybrid** mindlessly chose was Clawhauser. When Bolt saw that the armored mammal was running on all four in the direction of the defenseless tied up cheetah officer. He, “Accel!” yelling, grasped the hog monster near at paw violently before throwing it at **Hybrid** in order to prevent the steel blue animal from injuring normal mammal.

    However, the armored mammal dodged the thrown hog **Savage** and caught it in mid-air, then pinned it down.

    **Hybrid** , screeching at the hog, pushed the silver syringe roughly “ ACTIVATE”. Immediately following that, the elbows grew blades. The steel blue armored mammal struck the pinned **Savage** with the elbows.

    Thanks to its fat layer, it took quite some time for **Hybrid** to defeat this monster. Hence, “Come here!!” Bolt was able to carry the unconscious bunny body and the cheetah to the further spot, away from the **wild** **Hybrid**.

    The hog monster’s motionless body started to vaporize, indicating its departure from life, still the armored mammal kept cutting its flesh with the elbow blades.

    At that moment, Mittens ordered the remaining two **Savage** s to attack **Hybrid**. She thought that if the monsters could slow the going out of control mixed-breed down, Bolt would be able to accelerate and make the armored mammal detransform.

    When the purple lion came so close to **Hybrid** , the armored mammal sprang to cling to the lion’s back.

    The lion **Savage** tried to shake **Hybrid** off but it was useless because in an instant, the right claw of the armored fox with rabbit features stabbed through the lion’s neck.

    After effortlessly killing another monster, **Hybrid** got off it. Since **Savage** s cannot bleed, there was no blood staining on the steel blue suit of armor. However, it did not make this form of **Hybrid** less disturbing.

“This is what happens when predator’s body is used for becoming **Hybrid** huh?” Bolt chuckled nervously.

“Bolt! We have one more shot. I gonna send the last **Savage** to charge at **Hybrid**. Find an opportunity to change the fox back to normal.” Mittens spoke to him through their private wireless communication system.

    The purple hippo then rushed towards the armored mammal but **Hybrid** bent the body to avoid being hit at exactly proper time.

Soon afterwards, **Hybrid** pushed the syringe “ACTIVATE” to activate spiked knee pads and hopped up, twisting the body in mid-air, before kneeing the hippo in the top of its head.

Bolt, who intended to go near **Hybrid** at first, was watching the monster being clawed brutally by the so-called hero…

Bolt then decided “Triple accel!” to launched himself at great speed so that he could catch the armored mammal.

Even so, **Hybrid** could dodge him with such a remarkable agility. As a result of too high force and speed, Bolt flew farther than he expected, crashing into the stacks of crates.

When he fell on the ground, “Shoot! **Hybrid** is going after the officers!” Rhino’s voice could be heard from the wireless communication system.

Bolt, already cancelling the acceleration to avoid his system overheating, hurriedly got up before seeing **Hybrid** standing so close to Clawhauser. The armored mammal was drawing the right claw up.

“Stop it!” Bolt yelled while the speechless cheetah shut his eyes in fear.

\--. --- / --- ..- - / --- ..-. / -.-. --- -. - .-. --- .-..

    After Nick pulled and pushed his syringe, “Nick! Wait! D-..on..t...” Judy blacked out.

    She or just her consciousness was then thrown into an unfamiliar place where she saw an adult fox presenting his business plan for a bank loan. The fox was accompanied by a young red fox.

    Judy looked fixedly at the young fox because he appeared familiar to her. She then shifted her focus to the older fox walking away from the loan officer’s desk. Apparently, his proposal got rejected.

    Subsequently, she perceived that the young fox held up the stamper along with two small rodent bank employees, preventing them from stamping ‘rejected’ mark on the proposal.

    The rodents shrieked, so the rhino security guard came to catch hold of the fox kit. Although he had already let go of the stamper, the guard was still carrying him towards the exit.

“Dad! Dad!” While the kit was calling to his father for help, the adult fox “Sir, I’m truly sorry but please let my son go.” begged the rhinoceros.

“You’re going too far!” Judy went to stop the guard but it turned out that he walked past her as if she was not there because in reality..., she was not there.

    After that, the adult fox leapt on the rhino to save his son. As a result, the security guard released the fox kit and arrested his father instead.

    Before he went out with the security guard, he spoke to his son. “It’s okay, Nicky. Dad will go home soon. Until then, be a good boy and prove that a fox is trustworthy.”

    Next, Judy’s mind jumped to another place. She saw a vixen raising her kit on her own. The vixen even scraped up enough money to buy her son a junior ranger scout’s uniform. The scene reminded Judy of the story Nick told her about his past. That was when Judy realized that she was going through Nick’s memory.

    Judy wanted to turn away from the scene of young Nick weeping alone after he was bullied by prey animals in scout uniforms. It was the day Nick gave in to the horrible stereotypes or that was what he said to her.

    She found that despite feeling conflicted, Nick occasionally tried to prove that he could be more than a sly fox. Nonetheless, the world was constantly against him. Although he studied hard to earn good grades, some mammals would claim that he cheated.

    It was hard for him to apply any honest jobs just because he is a fox.

    It was difficult for him to get any loan approvals just because he is a fox.

Therefore, he eventually gave up and became a con artist, a sly fox that the world saw.

    Lying, hustling… If those were what mammals expected for foxes, so be it.

    Subsequently, Judy reached the memory of the first time Nick met her and tricked her to pay the jumbo pop for him and Finnick. She even perceived his thought.

    Back then, Nick saw Judy as a hypocrite since she carried a fox repellent, yet she acted nobly. That upset him to certain extent.

    He disliked her more when she pressured him to help her solve the missing otter case. However, after seeing her working hard in the investigation and genuinely caring for the otter, he thought that he might be wrong about her.

_“I think you’d actually make a pretty good cop.”_

    At the time Judy told him that, he just thought she must be joking because nobody would truly believed that a sly fox like him can possibly be a cop.

    That was why the moment Judy handed him a police application form meant a lot to him. This mammal really believed in him. She wanted him to be her partner. Even though he did not want to serve society anymore unlike his past self who wanted to join the scouts, he was happy to be wanted and trusted.

    And that was why it hurted so much when she betrayed his feelings by showing her bigotry against foxes.

    Nick wanted to hate her. Then again, he came to realization that everyone made mistakes, so he decided if she changed, maybe… he could give her a second chance, which he did not regret that decision at all. She grew up, learned her mistake, came back to him and fixed the crisis with him.

    He finally found a mammal who trusted him, had faith in him and believed in him while he did not believe that he could be more than that awful stereotype.

    Besides, he thought _She was so freaking reckless and too naive. How can l leave her alone?_ , which irritated Judy.

    For these reasons, Nick made up his mind to be by her side as her friend and her partner.

    The more they spent time together, the stronger Nick’s feelings grew. Hence, He fell in love with her.

    Nevertheless, he had to persistently remind himself to forget the idea of being in a relationship with her because he is a fox, an ex-con artist. He believed that he would bring her down… His past could come back to haunt not only him but also Judy as long as they were together romantically.

 _I’m a fox. The world just sees me as a shifty hustler._ This thought echoed in Nick’s head.

    After going through his memories and thoughts, Judy, her chest feeling tight, came across a black large free space which was burning with flames here and there.

    In the middle was a savage fox on fire.

“Nick!” Judy approached the burning fox.

    The flaming wild fox growled at her but she still advanced towards him.

“Nick!” She called to him again.

    When she was so close to him, he leapt on her, pinning her to the hot floor and snarling at her face.

    Even so, she was not scared. She reached out and pulled him into an embrace.

“I believe in you, Nick.” She patted the back of his neck, “You won’t hurt me like that. I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. We’ll be fine… together.” tightening the hug despite the fire on him.

“I’m sorry for all this time I didn’t know what you have gone through, how heavy your burdens are, and… how many emotions you bottle up.” She then moved her paws to his face. “But please take off your mask… let me know your true feelings.”

    The fires subsequently died out, revealing Nick Wilde with a depressed expression.

“I’m sorry” Nick apologized. “Even though I’m a cop now, even though I got promoted, it seems I can’t ever be good enough...”

“If you’re afraid that you won’t be as good as I hope, don’t worry. I don’t have high expectation in the first place.”

“Ha ha” Nick laughed sarcastically.

“Nick, you’re not just good. You’re fantastic! You’re better than what world thinks of you! Have more faith in yourself, O.K.?” She stroked his cheeks.

“I’ll try.” Nick rose slowly while gentally helping Judy stand up.

“And I’ll be there for you… be by your side, so you’ll be by my side too~” She beamed at him.

“Sly bunny~” He put on a genuine smile before the mental black free space faded away as both he and Judy united.

\--. --- / --- ..- - / - --- --. . - .... . .-.

    Clawhauser, lying on the floor defenselessly, shut his eyes in fear when steel blue **Hybrid** drew the right claw up.

“Easy peasy~”

    He heard Nick’s voice and felt that the rope around his wrists and ankles became loosened, so he opened his eyes to see the armored mammal, who went totally berserk earlier, standing in a relaxed way.

“Are you hurt?” Judy’s voice came out of the armored fox with rabbit features.

    Noticing that the rope had already been cut by the steel blue mixed-breed, Clawhauser got up hurriedly.

“Judy! Nick! You two okay now?” He asked.

“Pretty much~ I just let an autopilot run a bit and it looks like it did a fine job.” Nick jested as he turned **Hybrid** ’s head to look around. There were vaporizing lifeless **Savage** s’ bodies on the floor.

“Sorry for the loss of your pets~” He jokingly apologized to Bolt.

“You can hand over your **driver** s as an apology.” Bolt joked as a response, stepping off the pile of broken wood pieces.

“I’m afraid we can’t do that.” Judy said, putting **Hybrid** ’s guard up.

“I figured.” Bolt uttered.

“Clawhauser, would you look after my body?” She asked him.

    The cheetah picked the unconscious doe’s body up and kept their distance from the silver wolf and the armored mammal.

Once Clawhauser together with Judy’s body were out of a danger zone, “Accel!” Bolt moved near **Hybrid** like lightning, then “Volt Strike!” swung his glowing knifepaws at his opponent in order to paralyze the united duo.

    The steel blue armored fox with rabbit characteristics briskly ducked to avoid the blow easily.

    Seeing that his attack failed, Bolt lowered while sweeping one of his legs.

    **Hybrid** could avoid the attack with ease again by springing up. However, that was what Bolt aimed for.

    He assumed that it would be difficult to dodge in mid-air, so “Double accel” he straightened up and was about to attack the armored mammal in double-quick time.

 **Hybrid** stuck the right claw at Bolt but he, still accelerating, sidestepped, dodging the sharp claw.

    The accelerated silver wolf then thrust his glowing left palm with an intention to strike the armored mammal’s flank.

    Unexpectedly, **Hybrid** agilely bent the body, which caused Bolt to miss his target in a split second.

    Directly afterwards, the united duo seized Bolt’s extended arm, then drew **Hybrid** closer to Bolt and used the momentum to swing the kick which hit him right in the side of the face.

    Next, the armored mammal released the hold on the silver wolf while he was falling sideways. He took a step to the side to regain his balance as the steel blue mammal landed on the feet effortlessly.

“Mittens… I’m gonna get serious a bit.” Saying quietly, Bolt stopped accelerating. He did not pay attention to his team’s response and went straight to “Electro blast!” discharge an energy ball from his chest.

    As the energy ball was flying towards **Hybrid** , the united duo twisted **MidniDriver** ’s handle back “CRITICAL BREAK” before crouching, avoiding the attack in the process.

    At a later second, the steel blue armored mammal jumped up, flipping towards the silver wolf.

“Acce-” Bolt was about to charge at his opponent.

“Don’t move!” The duo yelled, making the wolf halt without being aware.

    **Hybrid** then rushed down to land a right side kick… on the floor. Bolt stared at his opponent being down on one knee while one foot stayed in contact with the ground at the same spot that the kick landed.

    When **Hybrid** stood up and lifted the right leg, it could be seen that the spot which the armored mammal’s foot hit a moment ago was holed. Bolt also noticed that there were spikes under the toes of **Hybrid** before those spikes were drawn back.

“You know that if you moved just a little bit faster, you could get kicked right?” Judy put a rhetorical question to Bolt.

    After he was silent for a few seconds, “Triple accel” he uttered calmly, then disappeared into thin air.

    Clawhauser was going to shout in celebration of the victory but suddenly, **Hybrid** turned back and stuck the sharp claw out at the silver wolf. It appeared that Bolt accelerated his system to attack his opponent by surprise.

“Wanna continue?” Nick asked.

“Just wanna give it another shot.” Bolt tittered before he vanished.

“Where is he now?” Clawhauser wondered.

“He’s gone now.” Judy answered.

    Subsequently, the armored mammal went to Clawhauser, asking him to kneel down, so the rope tying the unconscious body of the doe could be cut. Following that **Hybrid** removed the rope from Judy, the united duo pulled the syringe, drawing the blood into it, to detransform.

    The suit of armor released purple steam before it disappeared. Nick consequently turned back to normal while Judy woke up in Clawhauser’s arms.

“Wakey Wakey princess~” Nick pushed the syringe to inject his blood back to himself in order to cure his tiredness.

    Without hesitation, Judy got off Clawhauser’s arms, then approached Nick hurriedly.

“We did it, Carrots~ We won-” No sooner did Nick finish his sentences than Judy punched him right in his gut. Nick collapsed to his knees as a result.

    Jaw dropping, the portly cheetah covered his mouth in shock.

    Next, she pulled Nick’s tie to draw his attention to her before she ranted.

“Dumb fox! What the heck did you think you were doing, risking yourself like that!? What if everything didn’t turn out fine? What if that transformation made you’ve gone completely berserk and will never recover!? You think that I’m naive, dumb and too reckless to be left alone, don’t you? Then why did you decide to sacrifice anything to defeat that wolf… especially after you confessed to me…?”

    Her eyes then started getting watery. “If something horrible happened to you, I...” She shed her tears.

“Sorry… for making you worry...” Nick averted his eyes, feeling guilty.

“You gave me too credit… I almost gave up several times and I did give up once before.” Judy clenched her badge on her chest, remembering the time her badge was nearly taken away during the missing otter investigation.

    She remembered the mammal who saved her from losing her dream was none other than Nick.

    She remembered that she returned to Zootopia and successfully crack the Night howlers case after giving up because of none other than Nick.

“All this time…, the reason why I can keep trying, fighting and protecting our city, our home, is… I have you, Nick.” She touched his cheek gently, turning his face, so he would look at her.

“I love you.” She stared into his emerald eyes.

“I love you too.” He stared back into her amethyst eyes.

“Aww” Clawhauser exclaimed, moved his paws to his chest.

    And then, both Nick and Judy closed the gap between them, hugged each other and shared a kiss. Their lips were pressed against the lips of one another. They felt a warm sweet sensation radiating throughout their bodies as they got lost in time.

.- ..-. ..-. . -.-. - .. --- -. .- - . / -.-. --- -. ..-. . ... ... .. --- -.

    At a later time after Bolt lost to the steel blue **Hybrid** and came back to his team’s base, the motorhome,

“What actually happened? Shouldn’t predators go out of control if they use **MidniDriver** to transform with their bodies?” Mittens the wildcat wondered, swivelling round in a seat.

Meanwhile, Rhino was busy waving a hand fan for a large mammal like a bear to cool down the tundra wolf, Bolt, who was lying on one of the couch.

“It’s probably because the fox has received quite amount of the rabbit’s blood mixed with his blood.” Professor the sloth bear theorized. “Plus, their **synchronization** ’s possibly increased.”

“If it was the case of what I’m thinking right now…, oh, dear, I’d be seriously worried about the bunny officer.” Professor’s face grew concerned.

\- .... . / . -. -.. / --- ..-. / .--. .... .- ... . / --- -. .

\- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -.. / .. -. / .--. .... .- ... . / - .-- ---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1/10/18: And the end… for the phase one. This chapter is like the end of season 1 which focuses on AU introduction and developing relationship between Nick and Judy. Anyone who has watched Masked Rider W before would see the influence on this series, especially this chapter. LoL.  
> -By the way, this chapter would be the last chapter before the long hiatus. Unfortunately, I will be busy for a year and if it turns out I don’t feel like writing this by the time I’m available, this may be the end of this fanfic… unless somebody really wants me to continue this, let’s see how it will play out. Thank you everyone who check this series and I wish you a wonderful time. Happy trail~


End file.
